Delphus Elementals
by Ronin Musashi
Summary: The turtles past lives come back to them. Can they save their old world and themselves? *Earlier posted fics combined*
1. Default Chapter

Untitled Document

This is a story I started about a year ago after getting sucked into alot of Sailor Moon. So like that, it's a long tale that incorporates several themes. To make it easier to get through I've broken it up into four parts, because I can't even read the whole thing through in one sitting. So sit back and veg. And please excuse any wierdness in the first chapters, there were some things I still couldn't edit out. But trust me, it's so worth it. 

If you want to hear some of the music featured here, check out my site listed in my profile. I love the music here (it's also from sailor moon) and there are pictures of Michelangelo, Raphael, Donatello, Leonardo, and Master Splinter (copyright of mirage studios) as well as Lita, Maddie, Noriko, Erika, Jimmy, and Prince Idola. So check them out. Anyway. Here's the background. 

_Many eons ago there was a grand kingdom, of a great immortal people, which ruled over many planets in its own galaxy, far far away from our own. This kingdom had a great leader, a king. And a great court which served under him, full of princes and princesses, lords and ladies, knights and archers, sorcerors and summoners. This King was known as Ardimus, and among his court were four very important men. They were the great advisors, and held the knowledge of the elements of life. These peoples made up the kingdom of Delphus._

_ And durring the great reign of Delphus, there grew a stirring in the hearts of evil. The hearts of sorcerors long forgotten, exiled away from the galaxy for eternity for crimes against the people. These sorcerors called themselves the Matrix, and they instilled fear in the hearts of citizens of Delphus._

_ Their angst was recognized only too late, and the Matrix invaded Selphi, the capitol planet of Delphus. They took the palace, and captured the throne room. The rest of Delphus fell under their power, and were ruled from then on by martial law. _

_ Only a fraction of the court escaped into the underground tunnels of the city, away from the sorcerors reach. Among the survivors of the overthrow were the king, and his royal advisors._

_ With the Matrix still in hold of Selphi each of the advisors snuck out in the night and located young girls to train as the powers of the universe. They were kidnapped out of orphanages, and state systems, taken underground, and erased from matrix._

_ They were each blessed with immortality, and transmorphed into permanent elemental forms. They trained for centuries, never aging passed 25. _

_ Meanwhile the Matrix tarried its martial law, the king grew restless. The Advisors were sent to bring the Elementals to the Matrix asteroid, to fight the great sorcerors. They left in the night again, and used the powers of the universe to teleport themselves onto the asteroid, inside the palace of silence._

_ The palace was so huge, the advisors and their elementals took four days to reach the center of the asteroid. Each day posed a soceror, and each day another advisor was destroyed, setting off the balance of the universe._

_ By the fourth day four of the twelve of the sorcerors were destroyed, and the four advisors were forever lost. The asteroid was on a collision course towards Selphi, with tremors of distress shockwaving through the galaxy. The remaining sorcerors failed to show themselves during their escape, leaving the advisors alone in the palace of silence._

_ The elementals consolidated the power of the element crystals, and created a temporary time freeze. From there they collected the souls of the king, his youngest son, and the advisors, and preserved them in balls of light. They stored their own souls in the light spheres and sent the ten out into deep space in the moment before the time freeze ended. _

_ The crystals shattered to pieces, and the universe fell in on itself, creating a tremendous black hole. The balls of light containing the ten souls escaped the collapse of the 7th dimension, and floated away in a random direction. The largest pieces of the elemental crystals sealed themselves in magic balls and followed._

_ For eons the spheres of light traveled, souls frozen in wizard energy. They flew silently through darkness, until each were pulled into a new planet. This was known as the 8th dimension. Each soul searched until finding a suitable host which to be born with. However, none retained the memories of the past, with exception for the soul of king Ardimus. The crystals followed the elementals to the 8th dimension and stayed with them as long as they could._

_ The souls of the advisors were directed to pull towards the elementals in the event the new dimension being violated by a matrix sorceror, and to retrain them in their power. Less then 18 years after the light spheres reached the eighth dimension the fifth of the twelve sorcerors, Nikira, found his way to the new planet._

_ To defend the eighth dimension the king gathered his advisors and told them this same tale. He sent them then to locate the elementals in the great city, and train them again to transform into their former selves. This is where our adventure begins, with our heros venturing into the city. The capital of New York, Earth. _

Leonardo sat perched upon the edge of the skylight looking down, into the pool of the sixth street gym. From the view he could see the straight red lines painted on the pool bottom, and the little floating buoys wobbling around them. There was a stand infront of each of the rows, each with a small cream colored numbed painted on the cement. It appeared to be time for classes to switch. Young men were climbing out and wiping themselves with the light blue towels from the club, rat tailing some of the girls of the other class. Two teachers stood talking. One that was leaving, a tall man with a slightly lanky build, light brown hair. And a women almost his height. She had long auburn hair that waved slightly like Aprils. She was the one catching his attention.

All the girls swim suits were an almost navy blue with a lighter trim. The guys' trunks were nearly the same, coming to mid-thigh. The teachers finished talking and went their separate ways, the last of the Mens class filtering into the locker room. The female teacher clapped twice gave orders as the girls to get into position. A woman giving orders. 

Concentrate… 

Concentrate… 

Leonardo closed his eyes. 

Center your thoughts… 

He slowly opened his eyes. The class had begun, half of the class was in the water doing laps. Leonardo searched for something to stand out. He felt kind of odd. _Good. That's good..._ He narrowed his eyes, trying to focus through the smeared glass. The instructor looked up at him as if on cue. Leonardo pulled back swiftly. He was sure she hadn't seen him. But still. _That was at least a little strange. This isn't so hard after all. …I wonder how the others are faring. _

Michelangelo skated through shadowy paths of central park. _I'm great at this stuff. I should be a professional people finder or somethin'._ He grinned, making a turn under the shade of the tall trees. Sunlight filtered through the trees and sponged over the ground. This trail was pretty much deserted. It was notoriously crappy. Not a lot of people came out this way. _Mayyyyyyy-be I shoulder go back to the skate park. _He spun around a few times on his board to think it over. 

"Hey, not bad." Someone's voice interupted him. He banged the nose of board down and grinned beneath the rim of his cap. A kid stood at the other end of the path. He couldn't be more than 12. But he dressed like a gangster or something. _What's the appeal for kids to wear wife beaters in the first damn place? What a shmuck._

"Yeah thanks." The kid nodded and skated away. Mike cocked his head and pushed off after him. Other than the ducks this boy was the first thing moving he had interacted with all day. Splinter would be royally pissed if he knew about that. heh. 

He followed the kid down the path, back about 70 yards, and ended up on the outskirts of the skate park. The kid was off like a flash, flipping and speeding around the park like a bat outa hell. _Damn._ Mike leaned against a directions pole to watch. 

"Go Flash, Go! Go Flash, Go!" The other kids in the skate park cheered. _idiots._Mike watched in awe as the aptly named 'Flash' sped down the main ramp and flew off the end. He turned nearly horizontal, holding one edge of his board, the other outstretched. He looked like some form of a bird diving through the air. Mike grinned. _Sweetness._

Donatello stood behind a tall tree in the east side arboretum, fiddling with the loose button on his coat. There were light pastely colored trees a bushes around with a dirt path weaving through the entire garden._ Very peaceful here. A guy could take a nice nap._ Don took a deep breath and sighed. The smell of sweet flowers wafted up from the garden around him. _Man, I'm glad Mike's not here._ Don could visualize his brother promenading through the flowers. _Shudder._ He looked over his shoulder to see if the couple that had been walking through the path had passed yet. They almost caught him snooping around. He wouldn't need to even be making an ass of himself if Master hadn't sent them. This was without a doubt, the stupidest 'mission' ever. 

It might not have been so bad if Leo wasn't so gung ho about it. He was the last person he expected to believe in this fairytale of a...well, tale. "Are you looking for something?" He spun back around again. A young japanese girl leaned over to the side to look at him. She looked like she worked here from the gardening tools in her apron, and the haphazard way her braids were tied. He hadn't even heard her come up on him. Stupid birds had distracted his hearing. He relized he probably was looking like a flasher, dressed in a trench coat and fedora hat. If she had noticed, it didn't appear to show. good girl. 

"I…uh…" _Oh crap. Think think think. _"I'm looking for the...uh, person in charge." He spat out. She smiled. 

"Oh, grandpa. He's always in the greenhouse around this time. It's sort of hidden behind the brush, I'll show you the way." She walked past him out onto the path. "He can be hard to find sometimes." She called back. 

Don walked a few yards behind her down the path. He stuck his hands in his pockets and put his head down, looking like a little boy about to be punished. This was just his luck. He hoped she didn't wait around for him to talk to 'grandpa'. 

The girl lead them to barely blazed path off in the bushes. He trailed after her, listening to her foot steps and trying to time them to his own. She put her hand on a tree and swung around, looking down on a new path. At the end of which was the large opaque greenhouse. The girl stopped, still holding the tree. "There you go." 

"Thanks," He mumbled, still looking at his feet. She smiled. 

"Don't mention it." She went passed him and back to the other path. Donatello looked over his shoulder again when her footsteps faded off. _Close._ He didn't need her sneaking up on him again. But at least he found the person who ran the arboretum. He could think of it as a mystery. Detective Don and such. Aw, no. That was dumb. 

Don went up to the green house and snuck around to the side where some bushes pressed up against the glass. He ruffled the bushes as he snuck inside to make it look like wind. Pushing the sides of his hands against the glass he spread the bushes off to the sides. Inside he found shelves set up all around the walls, a long table island set in the center. An elderly japaneese man stood at one of the tables in the center, trimming a small bonzaii tree. He was nearly bald, with many wrinkles. Don shifted around slightly to get comfortable. He was going to be here for awhile. 

"Hey, why so glum?" Raphael looked up. He sat slumming at the back end of a bar, as far into the shadows as possible. The lights in the room were low, a few people sat at the round tables. Red glass candle holders with tea lights provided 'atmosphere' for each of the tables and down the bar beside wicker baskets of peanuts. A girl stood on the other side of the bar, removing a pad of paper tucked into her apron. It had taken her forever to come to him. Maybe she was scared. _Good._ For a lone girl working in a dump like this she was wise not to show it. He sat back a little into the shadows. 

"Stuff." The girl smiled. 

"Want somethin' ta drink?" 

"Red dog." 

"Right." She went down to the other end of the bar where the beer was. Raphael tilted his head slightly, checking her out as she made the drink up. At least this place had a nice view. He smiled to himself and leaned back again as she returned. "There ya go." She went back to the back of the bar facing the large mirror and liquor bottles and started hanging up the glasses she had been cleaning. Raphael took a deep drink and froze. He looked down into the drink. 

"Hey, this tastes like ice tea." She turned around and brought her arm down. 

"Oh no, it's beer." He tilted his head skeptically. "It just _tastes_ like iced tea. Trust me. It's beer." She smirked slightly and turned around, resuming hanging up the glasses. He narrowed his eyes. 

"I think it's cust'mary to get a customer _what he orders_." He set the glass down loud enough to draw more attention. 

"Yeah, that's one theory." She hung another glass up. 

"Can I get a beer now?" She turned around. 

"Do you have some ID?" 

"At home." 

"Ok. How old are you?" 

"23." She crossed her arms. 

"What's you're birthday?" 

"Uhh… January …twenny-second, …nineteen....seventy-three." 

"What's your sign." She asked quickly. His voice caught, …_aw damn it._ She smirked. "Enjoy your iced tea." She went back to her work. He picked the glass back up and sipped his drink. 

"…c'n I get some sugar at least." He mumbled. She turned around. 

"Now that I can do." She reached below the counter and set a rectangular wicker basket full of sugar packets on the bar in front of him. "Just out of curiousity, how old _are_ you?" She stood back and started wiping out another glass. He took two packets quickly before she could catch site of his hand. 

"17." She smiled and nodded. 

"Thought so." She turned around and hung the glass up. Raphael nodded to himself. "You didn't answer my question you know." 

"Which one." A short chuckle and a bob of long red hair responded first. 

"Why are you so glum?" She asked. _glum?_

"Ah… just work." She nodded and turned around, cleaning another glass. 

"havin' bad luck?" 

"Nope. Not any luck at all." He drank the tea. "Unless you happen to be an arsonist." He mumbled. Her eyes darted around for a second, then broke out into a wide smile. 

"You caught me." He smirked under the rim of his hat. 

"Thanks anyway." She nodded and went back to her work. Ten or so minutes later Raphael looked over his shoulder to the colored glass windows behind him. The sun was beginning to go down. _Crap._ He put the glass down. She turned back to him as he reached into his pocket. 

"Hey, it's on the house." 

"Oh, thanks." He muttered. She smiled. He pushed himself off the stool and sauntered out, maybe hoping he looked a bit older. But if he didn't get home soon Splinter would make sure he never got to become older. Raphael grumbled and shoved his hands into his pockets, heading for the nearest manhole cover. 

Michelangelo chewed on a piece of pizza, swinging back and forth in the living room hammock. His brothers sat lounging around the den with him for the first time in nearly a week. Donatello sprawled out on his shell, propped up on a pillow. Leonardo sat in an easy chair, his leg pulled under him. Raphael had just gotten in and was taking off his gear. Leonardo cleared his throat as Raphael headed for his room. 

"Alright, now that we're all _home_." Raphael stopped and turned around, bobbing his shoulders with each step till he turned back. Leonardo brought his other leg up and sat cross legged. "How did you all do." Mike talked with his mouth full for a few moments before his brothers blank stares stopped him. He finished swallowing. 

"I did good." He grinned. "My works all done." 

"Don?" 

"Me too." Leonardo nodded. 

"Raph?" 

"…nope." He mumbled. Mike laughed out loud. Raphael shot him a look, silencing him immediately. 

"Thats alright for now-" Raphael narrowed his eyes. 

"_Fuck_ you." 

"Hey, you're taking care of yourself here. Don't get mad at me." 

Raphael mouthed his words with a roll of the eyes and left. Leonardo scowled as he left. _Snot._ "Alright. We'll continue servalince tomorrow." Mumbles of agreement passed over the remaining. 

Nikira knelt in the shadows behind an air conditioning vent above the gym. The ancients had led him here to begin the search for the water elemental. What better place to begin than a stinking public facility. And apparently the advisors had been informed of the girls presense as well. One of them was sitting outside the sky light looking in. Evidently he thought he could get to her before he could. Nikira smirked. Or he could lead him right to her. The advisor shifted around, hunched over. Nikira levetated slightly to keep his knee from bruising. _Patience is a virtue._ He crossed his arms. 

Michelangelo hung back in the shadows of the skate park. 'Flash' and his friends were playing around again under his watchful eye. Flash was up on the ramp again. Mike could see how he picked up speed, just where to push off. He couldn't wait to try it. _Damn, that kid's got air._ Mike tapped his foot against his board impatiently. Flash hit the scoop of the ramp and flew off. Mike almost lost him in the sun. _Cripes! That kid kicks ass!… Didn't Yoda know all the jedi tricks Luke did? Well... **I'm** like this kids yoda, right? Yeah… I'll go for it…yeah. I mean, I trained him didn't_ Mike clapped quietly. His friends patted him on the back and they all skated off to get lunch. _Leaving?_ Mike looked around._ They're gone… Hoo hoo haa haa haa_ He grinned after a moment. _Ok, I'll just do this one jump then go back to surveillence._ Mike skated out to the empty jump. Two quick glances made sure the coast was clear and he was up to the top. It was high. _Really_ high. Mike took a breath. _Think Yoda, Think Yoda, Think Yoda._ He got on his board, trailing the toe of his boot around the edge for good luck. A wind blew his coat around him and he hastily buttoned it all down. _Use the force, Luke._ He pushed off onto the ramp and went flying down. Mike pushed his foot off against the ground, picking up enormuos speed. The scoop of the jump was coming up quickly. His heart pounded with anticipation, fear, and excitement all at once. He just hoped he wasn't having a heart attack. The end came closer-_closer-**closer.** Gee, I wonder if this is what sex feels like._ The thought passed through his mind like the crack of a whip before he flew off the end of the ramp. 

Oh my god. 

Everything became slow motioned. He was flying. Literally flying on his skateboard. The huge sun enveloped everything. _Wow._ Mike swallowed. He didn't know how long he was just floating there... Because quickly the dream was over. _What goes up_... He could hear Donatello's voice in his head. He was falling. Falling _fast._ The pavement was coming up on him, he was spinning and twisting. Mike opened his mouth to scream, but the sound got caught in his throat. 

_**BAM!**_

Mike hit blacktop. _Oooo-oooo-oooo-oooow!!_ He whimpered softly. _Oh god that hurts._ He tried to push himself up after a moment, but only succeeded in falling back down. _Oh god. _ He felt like crying. It hurt so bad. _Not gunna cry, not gunna cry._ He grimaced, a few tears came along the bottom line of his eyes. His head throbbed like a huge band was squealing through his mind. _Aw man._

"Oh my god, you poor thing!" He heard someone running up to him. _Holy fuck. _He tried again to get to his feet, his knees quivered when he tried to sit up. The person was by his side the next instant, tending to him. It was a she. _She_ had long platinum blond hair and nearly white blue eyes, light tiny crystals glittered in them. She put her hand on his chest and kept him from getting up. "Oh dear, are you alright?" It seemed fairly obvious he wasn't. Mike groaned. 

"Hurt my butt." He mumbled. _Oh yeah, that was **really** smooth._ She smiled and laughed. Her laughter sounded like wind chimes. 

"Oh, you poor dear. Here, let me help you." She went to put her arm around him. 

"I gotta, ...gotta...Yoda...turtle...huh...?" He trailed off in his mumblings as the pain in his shell overtook him. 

Donatello took his walk through the arboretum slowly. It was much to nice a day to rush anything. Mr. Tagahasi was trimming a long line of flowering bushes by the stream. Don stayed just out of view, watching the old man work peacefully. He'd learned a lot about the arboretum and Mr. Tagahasi, spending most of the past week buried in record books and geneaology websites. Tagahasi was an immigrant from Japan who moved to America with his wife and son in the begining of the century. His wife died from small pox. After that he opened the arboretum with money from her family. There he raised the son, who married early and had a daughter. Now that his son and daughter-in-law were dead, he and his grand-daughter Noriko looked after the arboretum with asmall government appointed staff. Mr. Tagahasi looked up and called to the girl on an arch bridge about the stream. She was the same girl from the other day. They spoke to each other in japaneese, he couldn't follow. Their conversation continued for a few more mintues. And the girl scurried off to do work. Donatello sighed resumed his stroll. 

Raphael tapped his finger against the bar top absently. The bartender girl was at the other end of the bar talking softly with some men in dark suits. Not business suits. More like organized crime suits. _Don't ask._ He rolled his eyes. Service here sucks. The men finally seemed pleased and left. The girl came down to the other end of the bar at last. 

"You're back. Another 'Red Dog'?" 

"Har har." She smiled and went down to the other end of the bar. Raphael looked over his shoulder to the other tables behind him. One of them had yet to be bused and still held a bottle of beer. He might've gone for it if he didn't have the feeling she'd take it right back. Maybe bop him on the head with it too. The girl presently came back with an iced tea and set the basket of sugars on the counter again. "How old are you?" He turned back. 

"What?" 

"Doncha need to be 21 to serve alcohol." 

"That's kinda like the 'get the customer what he ordered' theory." She said, making quotation marks with her fingers. Raphael smirked. 

"Seriously." The girl smiled. 

"16." 

"I could turn you in." He noted more to himself, taking the glass from her. 

"Would you?" She asked, half serious. 

"Mabye I would." She furrowed her brow and took a round silver tray out from beneath the bar. 

"That's not very nice." She pushed the short door that lead into the bar aside and went out into the small maze of table. Raphael read the labels of the bottle of hard liquor stacked against the back wall in front of the mirror. The girl returned after a few minutes with the half a dozen beer bottles and an over flowing cigarette tray. One of the guys at a table held a glass up and swished around the remaining liquid for her to see. She nodded, putting the other things away. The man put his glass down and resumed talking to his friend across the table. 

"How'd ya get this job, anyway." Raphael asked as she made another drink. 

"My uncle owns the place. He broke his arm a little while ago, so I cover for him." She twirled two larger bottles around and poured an orange/red looking drink. She put the bottles back and stuck an umbrella in the glass. Raphael watched out of the corner of his eye as she brought the drink back to the table and set the other empty glasses on her tray. One of the men gave her the pleasure of grabbing her ass, she jumped slightly, careful not to upset the tray. The man who ordered the drink stared him down. Maddie returned to the bar, her face a little red. She resumed putting away the empty bottles and glasses. Raphael looked at the overweight man chuckling. 

"So where's your uncle anyway," Raphael turned back to her. 

"Oh, he stays up in his room doing paper work and stuff. He comes down and helps work the bar at nights." 

"Oh." He drank the rest of the tea. 

"So, any luck finding your arsonist?" She smirked, wipping one of the glass out. He set the glass on the table. 

"No …I gotta get goin'." He put a bill on the table before she could offer to pay the tab again. 

"Oh, ok." He slid off the bar stool and left the seedy little bar. Out of the corner of his eye he could see the girl putting away the glass. He let the squeaky doors close behind him and started off for the alley beside the bar. 

This was day two and he still hadn't found anything. He had a feeling he'd have to asked Master Splinter for help. And he'd direct him right to Leonardo. _*Shudder* _This wasn't very fun anymore. Raphael pushed the man hole cover aside and climbed down into the cool sewer. He slid the cover back into place and started down the wet corridor. _Damn it_. He'd tried everywhere an arsonist might go. Goth hangouts, Juvinal hall, etc, etc. He was considering asking for Don's computer tactics on this one. _Anything_ other then asking for Leonardo's help. 

He pushed the drift wood door open and went into the lair. Leo and Don were already home. Donatello played solitare, Leonardo paced the room. Raphael took his coat off and hung it up. 

"Where've you been?!" Leonardo turned on him. 

"Surveilence, remember." He flipped his hat off onto the rack by the door that Don had built. 

"You were supposed to be back an _hour ago."_

"So I was late." He passed by him, heading for the kitchen. Leonardo grabbed his arm._** "What!" **_

Leonardo hesitated a few moments. "…Did you hear from Mike?" 

"Mike? …no, why?" 

"He hasn't gotten back yet." Donatello looked up from his cards. 

"…He's probly just off getting' pizza or somethin'. Jeez Leo, get a grip." Raphael pulled his arm back and went back into the kitchen. Leonardo waited a moment, then resumed his pacing. 


	2. chapter 2

Untitled Document

**_Next Day _**

The three remaining turtles stood back in the shadows of the park during the afternoon, watching the kids on the obstical course. If any of them knew where Mike was they weren't around about it. Raphael held onto one of Mike's knee pads they had found kicked to the outer skirts of the park, his blood boiling again. They'd located the boy Mike thought was the air element. He was talented. Leonardo though he seemed familiar. Raph wanted to see if he had the same talents if they threw him off a bridge. 

"Wanna check out the observatory again?" Don whispered. Leonardo furrowed his brow. 

"…Yeah. One last time." He pulled his hat down farther. 

"I'll stay here." Raphael muttered._ I'm gunna follow this brat home_. 

"Alright, just be careful. Home by sundown, remember?" 

"Yeah yeah." Raph waved him off. Leo and Don started back down the path into the darker scapes of the park. Raphael hunkered down in the shadows and glared at the kids like a homely old man. 

Michelangelo groaned, bringing his hand to his head. He squinted his eyes, trying to take in light. _OOOOOOOoooooooooooow_. He closed them again. The light in the room was way too much. He opened his eyes slowly, letting his eyes adjust. _Woah, hey._ He was lying on a crappy couch, it was making him feel like home. He pushed on the cushion as he looked about. 

It was a large room, make shift furniture made of milk crates, cement blocks, and other junk yard foder. Kinda like a place a less orderly Donatello would create. Everything was draped in white cloths. Hundreds of pretty things hung in front of the windows; crystals, broken old fashioned watches, brass whistles, wind chimes, little charms hanging from shiny chains. Bottles filled with colored liquid were set along the window sills to collect light. Mike looked himself over. He was bandaged to kingdom come. Even where he wasn't scraped someone made sure he would heal well. 

The pads and bandana were on a table on the other side of the room with his nunchucks. His cracked helmet was sat on the folded coat on the floor nearby. The skateboard was leaned up against the table, cracked across the middle, one of the wheels missing. 

_What the?_ White light streamed into the room through the opaque windows. He looked around. There was another room without a door that led to what apeared to be a kitchen. A pretty girl stood in the kitchen. She wore a long white skirt, and shirt, obviously hand made. She had long very light blond hair that reached down to the small of her back. Light green beads hung off her hip like a belt. Mike sat up, the couch groaned. The girl turned and came into the doorway. 

"Hello there. How are you feeling?" She asked. He rubbed his head, looking at her entrancedly. 

"Head hurts." His voice broke. She smiled and went back into the kitchen. He continued to rub his head as he waited for some response. She returned with some watery bags of ice and knelt by the couch. 

"Here." She put the bag on his head. 

"Thanks." He watched her still. She seemed nice enough. No screaming or bugged out eyes. Then again, she had been looking at him probably since she brought him here. She'd already seen how he drooled in his sleep and snored like a flock of passing geese. _Oh, damn it_. 

"You had quite a fall." 

"Yeah." He laughed nervously. "Ne-needs some practice." She smiled. "…uh…I,ya …" She cocked her head. "Um…what's yer name?" He put his hand over the bag to keep it in place. She took her hand back. 

"My name's Erika. This is my home." 

"Oh." He continued to look at her. _I didn't drool all over your couch did I?_

"Can I get you something to eat?" _Oh god yes._

"Uh…sure." She smiled and went back to the kitchen. 

"I hope you like peanut butter. It's all I have." 

"Oh no, that's cool." He pulled himself onto his feet. _Oh, **man** I hurt._ "Uh…is it alright if I come in?" He asked tentatively. 

"What? Oh, sure." She laughed. "Come on in." He went into the kitchen. Which was basically all plywood shelves, a minifridge wrapped in wet cloths, and a basin of water. There were more splinters around the place then there was food. Almost all canned, a few boxes of crackers. The corner by the fridge was sectioned off from the rest of the shelving. There was a quarter loaf of bread, a jar of honey, a jar of peanut butter, a can of strawberry pie filling that had been capped off, a discarded half loaf of italian bread, and several baskets of old halloween candy. There were two pots that hung from the wall, and a mixed matched set of silver wear that had been cleaned and scrubbed till they shone. Erika took out the bread, peanut butter and the knife and started making a sandwhich. He felt terrible for taking this girls food. By the looks of her, she needed it more than he did. He was formulating how he could turn her down when she spoke. "Um…I don't really mean to be rude. But… I was wondering why you're…" She looked over at him. 

"Oh, a turtle?!" She smiled and nodded. "Oh, well actually it's a pretty interesting story." She turned back to making the sandwhich. "You see, 17 years ago we were in this goop. Oh wait…ok, ok…first we we're these pet shop turtles, you see. …And this kid dropped us in a sewer, he was walking home. And then; when I say 'we' I mean me and my brothers. Anyway, and then we were crawling around in this goop. But it was really a mutagen! …So then master Splinter found us. He was a rat, …so he took us all to this place he was staying at in the sewers, but he got some of the goop on him too! So we all started mutating and stuff. And we got really smart, well, …except for Raph. …So we were all mutating and getting big and stuff. 

Master Splinter had been the pet of this major ninja master, but he was killed by this bad guy who wanted his girlfriend, and then- oh wait…where was I…oh yeah! So Master Splinter started teaching _us_ to be ninjas. So we grew up in this place in the sewers like an appartment, and then _'Bwwwwwaap!'_ Here we are!" Erika smiled and handed him the sandwhich. He had stuck in the ninja thing to impress her. 

"That's a lovely story. Thank you." He bit into the sandwhich. 

"Than' _Oo!_" He said with his mouth full. She smiled. Mike swallowed. "I actually thought you were some kind of wierdo or something. Takin' _me_ in an' all." 

"Something called me to. You seem relatively harmless." She turned back and started putting the things away. Mike raised an eyebrow and started wandering around. He had become oddly at ease here, and felt free enough to bumble about already. 

"This is a nice place." He said before stuffing the last of the sandwhich in his mouth. 

"Thank you." 

"How long have you lived here." He cocked his head, looking at the collection of trinkets hanging in the light. Erika came out of the kitchen, wiping the knife off. 

"I don't know. I was in between places for several years. Then I just started coming here more. Mabye…4 years?" 

"Cool. Your parents live here too?" He looked around for another couch or bed. 

"No, I don't have parents." He turned to her. _Damnit you shmuck, why'd you have to say that._

"Oh …sorry." She smiled. 

"That's alright." Mike looked around again. 

"This place is _bitchin'_." 

"Thank you. It's no sewer. But I call it home." Mike laughed. 

"Right. Hey, ya got the time?" She walked up to one of the old hanging watches and retreived it out from behind some crystals. 

"It's almost 3." 

"3…as in 3 _pm?_" She nodded. "Eep. I gotta get home." He picked up his coat and broken helmet, stuffing his mask and pads in the folds of the coat. "Leo's gunna have my head on a _platter_. He stuck his skate board under his arm. 

"Leo?" 

"My brother." 

"Oh. Alright." 

"There's also Don. Anyway, thanks for taking me in an' everythin', _and_ the sandwhich!" He grinned. _You just **had** to eat the sandwhich._ Erika laughed. "Hey, …um… is it alright if I come and-" He didn't want to say 'check in on'. "You know, hang out here sometime?" 

"Oh, sure. I love company. You can come right in." Her eyes lit up. Did she have _any_ friends? "Oh cool." He opened the door. "Thanks again, Erika!" 

"Hey wait!" She took a step forward, still holding the knife. 

"Yeah?" 

"You didn't tell me your name." 

"Oh, _whoops! _M'name's Mike. Michelangelo, Mikey, whatever." She smiled. "Sorry about that." He grinned sheepishly. "Here I am rambling on and you don't even know my name." She laughed, a soft wind blew through the window, making the wind chimes tinkle, the crystals and shiny doo dads to clink against each other faintly. 

"Bye Mike." 

"Later!" He closed the door jogged off. 

Leonardo sloshed his feet through the sludge of his sewers in defeat. Beside him Donatello walked, looking at the ground. They hoped Raphael had found something. Leonardo glanced over at his brother. Don had pocketed some brochures about the observatory and was feeling guilty about it. Leonardo turned back ahead and jammed his hands in his pockets. The pipes above dripped with condensed water. _Damn damn damn._ Leonardo swore at himself as he opened the door to the lair. "…_Mike?!_" Don looked up. Mike sat on the couch, stuffing his face with left over chicken and taffy. He looked up quickly and waved, pushing a piece of old taffy into his mouth. Leonardo came in, followed by Don. "Where've you been?! What happened?!" He demanded. 

"Oga fump, 'ei 'eai-" 

"Swallow." Mike swallowed and pounded his chest with a cough. 

"Right. Ok, so I was at the park…" 

Leonardo perched again above the skylight of the club pool, looking down into the girls swimming class. The instructor he could identify as 'Ms. Lynn'. She lived five blocks away from the gym with her cat 'Freckles', and by the looks of her date book hadn't had a boyfriend in sometime now. He just needed to talk to her. Not to be her boyfriend or anything. 

His ear picked up a sound at the other side of the roof. He disapeared behind an air conditioning duct. 'The Sound' had been the access door to the stairwell opening, very softly. One of the teenagers from the swim class came out from the staircase and looked around suspiciously. She had short black messy hair that spiked slightly. She must've been hawaiin or something. The blue swim suit showed off her well toned legs and slightly *ahem* endowed body. There was a light blue towels wrapped around her hips that kept him from seeing much more. She walked over to where Leonardo had been sitting and looked down into the pool. Leonardo straightened his neck, staying back in the shadow. His heart shuttered almost unoticabley. The girl looked around once more before going back to the stairwell. Leonardo looked out from behind the air duct to see the girl leave. Another shadow shifted back to a straight line from the other side of the building. Leonardo raised an eyebrow as the door closed again. 

Michelangelo stood back again in the shadows of the skate park. The sunned pavement burned his feet now since his board had been impounded. Leonardo had ragged on him bad for trying the jump. Don had only grumbled when he asked him to fix the cracked helmet. Raph just laughed and bragged about the hot girl he had talked to. Flash set himself up again for the jump. Mike scuffed his toes against the ground and looked at his feet. _This is **so** boring. Wish I still had my board._ He griped. Even watching wasn't fun when he could jiggle back and forth on a pair of wheels. Someone was coming down the path, he hid farther back against the tree. _Hey, **Erika! **_

_"Erika!"_ He called. She looked up and smiled. The wind blew the hair off her shoulders gently. He ran down the shadowed path to her. 

"Hello, Mike. I didn't know you were here." He stopped in front of her. 

"Yeah, just hangin' around." He shrugged _play it cool, play it cool_. 

"Would you like to walk with me?" He looked over his shoulder. Flash was in mid air, his little friends cheering him on like any ol' day. Not like anything exceptional was happening. 

"Uh," He turned back to her. "Yeah, sure." She smiled and started walking. "…you come here a lot?" 

"I suppose. You seem to." He laughed sheepishly and rubbed his head. 

"Yeah, kinda." She smiled. "Hey! Ya wanna hear another story?" 

"Sure." 

"This one I call 'Don gets spooked by a cat.'" He grinned. Erika stifled a smile, looking straight ahead. 

_ She met a man, …he took her in. _

He fed her on the sa-ame bullshit ag'in 

'Cause he lied and he lied and he lied and he lied. 

He lied like a salesma-an, sellin' flies 

So she screamed and she screamed and she screamed and she screamed- 

It's a different place but the same old thang!- 

**It's all I love! It's all I hate!**

It's just too much for me-ee to ta-ake 

I can't be sure, where it begins! Or if the good life, li-i-es with-i-in 

So -man ah- 

Raphael smirked. The girl sat on the bar, her back facing him, with a guitar in her lap. He walked down to his regular seat and sat down, turning his head slightly to look at her as she continued her song. She froze as soon as she saw him, her hand slapping down on the strings. Her entire face turned red. He sat back and relaxed. She slid off the bar and put the guitar behind the counter. Her eyes were fixed on the bar as she came down to the far end of the counter. 

"Didn't hear you come in." She mumbled. 

"You're not half bad." He crossed his arms, inadvertantly puffing out his chest. 

"Gee. You really know how to charm a lady." 

"Hey, I'm tryin' ta make a compliment here." His deep voice dropped a few octaves. 

"Oh. …Sorry." He shrugged, his body language closed. "So, what can I getcha?" She straightened the apron tucked into her skirt. 

"Beer." 

"You got it." She went back down to the other end of the bar. Someone came down the staircase in the back. He looked mid-thirties with brown hair, his arm in a sling. 

"Hey Maddie, remember to collect the pay slips at the end of the day, right?" 

"Okay." He nodded and went back upstairs. The girl came back down to the other end of the bar and gave him his glass. 

"Yer name's 'Maddie'?" 

"Madeline actually. But people call me Maddie." He nodded and took the drink, his sleeves hiding his hands. "What's your name?" He looked up from under the rim of his hat. 

"…Raphael." She cocked her head, mildly impressed. 

"Italian?" He nodded. "Neat." She turned around and took one of the dirty glasses out to clean. Some other people came into the bar soon after him, wearing dark suits and slick hair. Maddie put the glass down and went up to the other end of the counter. They sat down at the opposite end from him, so he had to squint from the corner of his eye to get a look at them. Maddie started making a set of martinies. He turned back to his drink as the suits took the martinies and went up the back staircase. Maddie watched them go, putting the tops back on the liquor bottles. She picked her glass back up again and went over to the middle of the bar. 

"Business partners?" She looked up at him like a spooked rat. He smirked and drank the rest of the tea down. She wiped the glass out, coming down to his end of the bar. 

"So. Find your arsonist?" 

"No." 

"What are you anyway?" He glanced up. "I mean, do you work for some detective or something?" 

"Yeah. Somethin' like that." He put the glass down. 

"Want another?" 

"No, I gotta get back before the boss starts raggin' on me." He pushed the glass forward. He was afraid of overstaying his welcome too soon. She nodded and took it. "Take it easy." He pushed himself away from the bar and headed to the exit. 

"You too." 

Leonardo sat on the edge Ms. Lynn's tall appartment building. It was dusk, he blended in with the lengthening shadows. He had to understand her entire routine to find just the right time to approach her. 

Even when he worked alone he was thoroughly compelled to be the star pupil. 

Leonardo dropped down onto the narrow ledge that ran along the 9th floor. He hunkered down by the window looking into Ms. Lynns kitchen. There was a door way close to him on the right. Refridgerator, stove, counters, basket of mail, and a strange dried flower thing tacked to the wall. 

Ms. Lynn stood at the stove boiling some water for pasta, sitting in a jar by the coffee pot. Her ruddy hair was pulled back to a thick braid, but she kept trying to play with it. Leonardo resumed making a mental catolouge of her kitchen and the rooms he could see from where he sat. Ms. Lynn reached over and retrieved the jar of pasta. She shook out a small handful and let it drop through her fingers into the pot. _Dinner for one._ She put the jar back in its place. 

A fat orange cat jumped up onto the counter and took a seat next to the stove. Ms. Lynn scooted him away. Freckles got up and sort of bounced away from her hand. She got a little more forceful, and in her attempt to prod him off the table her hand knocked over the pot of water, sending it tumbling down to the floor, spilling boiling hot water everywhere. The cat gallopped away. Ms. Lynn grabbed her wrist and leaned over in pain. She jogged her feet up and down in place, her wrist turning a bright red. _She **burned** herself? She was **burned** by the **water?**_ Leonardo pulled himself back from the window. Oh damn. He scaled the building and took off across the roof. 

Mike rolled his eyes, sitting up on the couch. He and Don had stayed up to watch a late night movie. Raph and Leo had gone to their rooms. Donatello laid sprawled out in the hammock snoring raucously. Mike grabbed his nunchuck and threw it at him, smacking his bicep. Don blinked a few times and looked up. 

"Jeez, you sound like a fucking chainsaw." Mike turned back to the movie. Don tossed the nunchuck back at him. 

"Hey, shut up. You're the one that wanted to watch this thing anyway." He mumbled. 

"Yeah. I didn't know you had a bedtime to keep with." Mike propped his feet up on the table. 

"Yeah, well you didn't have to hike all day, so piss off." Don turned over onto his stomach, crossing his arms under his head. 

"Boo hoo." Don grumbled quietly and closed his eyes. 

_**Next Night**_

Raphael shifted his glass around between his palms absently, watching Maddie make another set of martinies. The air conditioning had broken down, making the entire bar humid and sticky. Maddie's shirt stuck to her scandelously close, strands of hair that had fallen out of her pony tail stuck to her face. Her uncle had left earlier to get the parts he needed to repair the vents. He shouldn't have left her alone. Maddie handed the martinies to the suits. They took them and spoke to her for a few more moments before going upstairs. She swallowed and went back down to his end of the bar. 

"Who are they anyway?" Raphael asked between gulps . 

"Nobody." She answered quickly. Too quickly. He raised an eyebrow. "Is it hot in here?" She asked, her eyes wide. Raphael cocked his head. Maddie went down to the other end of the bar and poured herself a glass of ice water. 

"…you ok?" He asked skeptically when she came back. 

"Yeah…yeah." She sipped the water. "Fine." He nodded, catching Maddie giving one last glance to the staircase. She looked at the bar top, sipping the water. 

"Pretty slow today." She nodded. 

"You're here early." 

"Yeah well. I haven't been able to find any arsonists 'round here. Thought I might drop by." He shrugged. 

"I'm glad you did." 

"_Why?_" She looked up. 

"Oh…uh, I dunno. …not a lot of people come around here to talk I guess." She smiled. "Well. To me at least." 

"I don't come here to talk to you." He insisted, setting his drink down. 

"Oh …I just thought- 

"-Well don't." He slapped a bill on the bar and slid off the stool, storming out of the bar. He slammed the door shut behind him and marched away from the bar. He nearly charged into the alley, wanting to kick over a trash can. _What the hell was that._ So she figured him out. He hadn't exactly been Mr. Sly. Raph knelt down to push the man hole cover off. _Crap._ He looked back over his shoulder in the direction of the bar. 

The windows were clouding over with dark gray smoke. Raphael perked up a little. He caught the site of a red flame from behind the smoke on the second floor appartments. _Oh shit, what the hell's Maddie gotten herself into now_. Raphael jumped up and ran back around to the side walk. He gave one last glance at the building before he pushed the door open. Gray smoke was beginning to seep out of some of the open windows. Inside the bar a thin coat of smoke poured out from the back stairwell over the ceiling. A pair of small feet kicked and pounded as they were dragged up the stairs, disapearing just as he got in. 

_"Maddie! **Wait!**_" Raphael took off after her. 

Donatello crouched low in the bushes behind the dirt path, rubbing his thighs to keep them from cramping. Mr. Tagahasi was pruning a small grove of white flower trees. Dusk was beginning to set, the lights lowering around the arboretum. He was tired and wanted to go home. Mr. Tagahasi finally finished pruning and brought the large clippers down. He looked over his work and nodded satisfactorally. _Finally_. He locked the clippers up and headed down to the path. Donatello stood up behind a tall orange oriental tree and watched him walk off. He turned around to head back to the gates and froze. Noriko stood leaning back against one of the other trees watching him. Don began to stutter. If she didn't think he was creepy before, she sure as hell did now. 

"What are you doing here?" She asked. "The park closed a half an hour ago." 

"I, uh…was just smelling the flowers." 

"You've been sitting like that for nearly an hour. How long do you take to smell flowers?" 

"I, uh…I reeeeeeaally like the flowers." 

"You come here everyday and just follow my grandfather around. Why?" 

"Uh…" 

"And you can just stand in one position for hours without moving. You must have some training." 

"Oh, uh…" 

"And not to be rude, but…you don't look…exactly…_human?_" Donatello felt the blood drain from his face. "And sneaking aboutin the bushes doesn't take to someones credibility." Don felt his insides twist up. "…I think you are a very special young man, and would be honored if you joined Grandfather and I for tea tomorow." She bowed to him. He figured later that she must believe in some turtle mythology for her to invite him for tea. She walked past him onto the dirt path. "Good night." Don just stared at the tree, forgetting to reply till she was long gone. 

Raphael coughed, holding his arm over his mouth so he didn't inhale the smoke. The upstairs was thick with dark smog, flames flew around the hall and walls. The place reeked of gasoline. There was a small maze of corridors weaving around above the bar he found, thick with haze. 

_** "Maddie!!"**_ He called. A short series of gun shots responded. _Oh yeah, that's just great._ He ran off in the direction of the shots. **_"Maddie!"_** Flames licked at his feet and legs, singing the hem of his coat. The suits backed out of one of the back rooms, firing into it. Raphael backed up and around the corner. Two of them ran off, fire scorching their eyes. A colum of flames shot out of the room, the remaining men jumped to the side, the wall behind them catching aflame. A flaming monster came out of the room to finish them. It had large wings made of fire that came out from it's arms, and a tail made up of several long thick red stands that curled around at the end. It was hard to make out the rest of the form out of spreading fire. 

"I am Phoenix. You have dared to debauch my powers." The suits grabbed guns out of the back of the pants and fired at it. The phoenix opened its wings to full extent and straightened it's back, the bullets shooting straight through. With a quick swoop of it's wings it enveloped the men into it. Raphael watched as ashes fell beneath it, and it set its wings back down. The phoenix turned around in the hall to face him, flames crawling out from the doorways. Raphael reached into his coat tentatively and grasped the hilt of his sai, staring at the large fire bird. It was a classic phoenix. Something he'd seen in one of Michelangelo's games. The bird ruffled it's wings slightly, taking a good look at him. The sound of cracking wood broke his attention. The phoenix cloaked itself in it's wings, streams of fire circling around it. 

Maddie coughed at the sheer amount of smoke clouding around as the wings sheathed back. Her eyes flickered one last time with flame before her knees collapsed beneath her. Raphael let go of his sai, ran forward and knelt by her. He put his finger to her neck. _Aw shit._ He threw his hat over her face and picked her up. The fire reached the storage room and exploded from all the kegs. Raph ran to the end of the hall and pulled the window open, shifting Maddie around in his arms. The fire grew behind him and surged for the fresh air. Raphael jumped out onto the ledge around the outside window sill. He jumped to the fire escape on the opposite building just in time to miss the flames. He could hear sirens faintly in the distance. _Damn._ He hardly had time to recessitate Maddie before he disapeared with her to the alley. 


	3. chapter 3

Untitled Document "You know you were supposed to be working-" 

"Hey, I found her din' I?" 

"By a stroke of luck!" 

"So?" 

_ "You weren't supposed to go out to get drunk! What the hell were you thinking?!" _

"Hey! I **wasn't** gettin' drunk!" 

"Oh right. You were just going to a bar for the complimentary nuts." 

__ "Hey! I didn't drink!" 

"Stop lying-" 

**_"I'm not ly-"_** Maddie groaned and brought her hand up to her head. The argument stopped. She went to sit up, lying back on what felt like a couch. 

"You shouldn't get up just yet, you might have a head injury. You've lost a lot of strength as well." Someone put their hand on her shoulder to keep her from getting up. She opened her eyes, taking in the light. There was a giant turtles next to her, wearing a purple eye mask. She froze like a deer caught in headlights. He took out a pencil thin flashlight from a belt that went around his waist and crossed over his shoulder. "Don't be afraid, I just need to check you out- I mean, y-you know…make sure you're alright. _Not that you aren't!_ I just mean-" 

"Smooth Don." She looked up. 

"Raphael?" Another turtle looked over the top of the couch. He looked like the other one, except he had a red mask. She opened her mouth in disbelief. 

"S'up." She didn't know what exactly happened next, but the next thing she knew she was lying back again, the purple turtle holding a cold wet cloth over her forehead. Raphael was gone. She reached up and put her hand on the cloth. 

"…Careful there. Raph said you might've hit your head when you fell." 

"Ow. What happened? Where am I?" She looked up at him. 

"Well, your uncle's bar burned down. Raphael brought you back here …He says you know each other?" She closed her eyes. 

"Yeah …that's what I thought too." He dotted the cloth on her forehead. 

"Better?" 

"Yeah. Thanks." He nodded and took the cloth back. "Uh…wher-ah…who…" She looked at him curiously. 

"I'm a turtle." 

"Yeah, I noticed." He smiled. 

"It's a long story." 

"Oh." Someone cleared their throat, Don turned to another doorway in the dank room. 

"She ok?" Raphael stood in the doorway. 

"Will you give me a damn minute?" 

"Well sor_ry_." He turned and went back into the other room. 

"Alright. Just look straight ahead." He flicked on the flashlight again. "So your name's Maddie?" He shone it into her left eye. 

"Yeah." 

"I'm Donatello. You can call me Don." 

"Ok." 

"There's two others around here. Leonardo and Michelangelo. You'll meet them later." He switched to her right eye. 

"Oh. Alright." 

"Can you sit up?" She sat upright and swung her legs over the edge of the couch. Don put his hands on either side of her neck. "Alright, take a deep breath." She did. He nodded to himself. "Now cough." 

_ *cough, cough*_

"Good." He took his hands back. "You're fine. _I mean,_ you're ok…_not that you're not **fine!**_" Some snickering came from the other room. Donatello's face turned a few shades redder. "Aw jeez." He stood up. Raphael came out of the other room and clapped sarcastically. 

"Good work, Don." Don mumbled and walked off. "Hey." Raphael came out of the doorway. 

"Hey." Maddie looked at him. "…Woah." 

"Whut. Amazed by what a stud I am." He gave a brilliant grin, crossing his arms. She smirked. 

"That wasn't the first thing that crossed my mind." He smirked. 

"Seems it wasn't the last." Her whole face turned red. Two other turtles emmerged behind him from the other room. One wore a blue mask, and a slightly stern expression. The other had an orange mask and an impish little grin. 

"Um. _Hey?_" She brushed the hair out of her face. 

"Hey." The blue turtle said. 

"_Wuzzup!!_" The orange one grinned. Maddie smiled. His face brightened more-so. If that was possible. 

"This is Leo and Mike." Don introduced. 

"Hi." 

"Heard you had a close one!" Mike exclaimed. 

"Uh, yeah." Maddie looked down and scratched her hair. 

"Can't believe _Raph_ was the first to find an elemental." Mike scoffed and crossed his arms. Maddie looked up. 

"What?" 

"You are the phoenix, aren't you?" Blood drained from her face. 

"Mike, you don't know when to shut up, do ya?!" Raphael slapped him upside the head. A cane came out of no where and smacked Raphael's shin. He stifled a grimace and groan, straightening his back. A large dark brown rat came around from the back of the couch. He leaned heavily on a wooden cane, and wore a deep red colored kimono. She froze. 

"Madeline, please …do not be alarmed." He had a thick japaneese accent, coming around to the front of the couch. "There is much that must be explained…" 

_ *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*_

Maddie sat with her mouth hanging open absently, just staring at Master Splinter. He sat in a very worn easy chair at one end of the den looking right back her. Michelangelo sat in a hammock listening. Leonardo stood around behind Splinters chair. Donatello sat on the opposite side of Splinter. Raphael sat next to Maddie on the delapitated couch. Splinter folded his hands over his lap, tilting his head for response. Raphael reached over and put his hand under Maddies chin, closing her jaw. She looked at him quickly then back to Splinter. 

"Um…no," 

"Yes, Madeline." She started shaking her head. 

"No, I'm not some _'elemental'_." 

"How do ya explain the 'phoenix'." Raphael crossed his arms. 

"Look, it's just a…a…_thing_." She stood up. "It doesn't mean anything, _alright?_" She walked out from the sitting area. Mike jerked up. 

"Madeline. It is your destiny." Splinter said calmly. 

"_No! No it's not!_ I'm not some 'guardian of fire' from beyond the stars!" She turned around to face them, walking backwards slowly. "I'm not one of your _'elementals' _alright?!" She said making quotation marks with her fingers. "_I'm just a girl! _I'm going to go to graduate, go to college and get a job! I'm not some _freaky super hero _from Selphus!" 

"Delphus." Donatello corrected. 

_"Whatever! _Whoever you're looking for, _**it's not me!**_" She turned around and took off, pushing the door to the lair open. Behind her she could hear Splinter telling the others to let her go. 

Maddie ran as fast as she could down the dark sewers. Light came in in bars from drains above, cut in half from the pipes that ran along the top of the sewers. Her shoes sloshed through the sewer water, she still wore the apron, paper pad and pencil tucked into it between the skirt. She continued weaving and turning through the labernyth of tunnels, wishing she had worn tennis shoes today. 

Her lungs began to burn with all the running. She had to stop and leaned against the cool wall, putting a hand against her chest. _Oh man._ She wheezed for air. Her head throbbed. She sunk to her knees and set her back against the wall of the sewer. The gentle sloching of fluid through the piping distracted her, and began to annoy her. She set her elbows on her knees and hid her face _Man_… 

"…You lost li'l lady?" 

"Shuttup." Maddie mumbled. Raphael sat down next to her. 

"So..." 

"Mmm." 

"…guess this is a bitch." 

"Gee, I was wrong. You really are sensitive." She said monotonously. 

"Why, was that sarcasm?" 

"Mmm." 

"Come on, Maddie. There's nothin' ta do about this anyway." 

"Yeah, your right. Because this is _not me_. Whoever you're looking for, _isn't me_." She tightened her shoulders. "I'm tired of being 'special'. I don't want this anymore. Not fun." 

"I thought humans wanted to be special." 

"The stupid ones." She caught him turning away, apparently to chuckle without her seeing. She had always hated being special. Ever since her parents deaths she found out what she was really capable of. From then on she though people wanting to be different were plain stupid. 

"S'pose so." He gathered himself again and turned back to her. "_But There's nothin' ya c'n do 'bout it._" 

"Look, I'm sorry …I just can't do this." She put her hands down against the cement. "I'm just… not… ready." His light hearted countance died. A frown deepened in his face and he stood up sharply, pacing back and forth. 

"What, and ya think _I_ am?" Maddie cowered back against the wall. 

"That's not what I meant." He continued anyway. 

"You think I wanna do this crap either? I'm an old fucking man! It's all fucked up! You think I want any of it?!" 

"No, I just-" 

"I'm not ready either, so back off!" _Back off from what?_ His sharp eyes on her softened enough for her to relax her hands from plastered against the wall. He sat beside her again and pulled his leg beneath him. "Sorry about that." He muttered. 

"S'ok." She answered in the same fashion. He cleared his throat and stole her hand away from the wall, holding it in both of his. Her heart started beating again out of her chest. Was this guy a psycho or a heart throb? 

"Lets not be ready together?" Yeah, he was both. She swallowed. He checked over his shoulder to see if anyone was looking. 

"Alright...." 

_** Next Day**_

Nikira rubbed his thumb over the crystal hanging around his neck. It throbbed gently with a light green. He smirked and let it drop down over his satin shirt, settling against his hard chest. He leaned his shoulder against a tall shading tree, hidden from casual visitors of the arboretum. Inside a long green house one of the advisors was talking with two civilians. He had removed his disguise, through the opaque glass he apeared to be some sort of monster turtle. _Poor way to go._ Nikira thought amusedly, the side of his mouth perking up a bit. 

The two civilians were the runners of the garden park. One an elderly oriental man. The other a teenage girl, looking to be related to the other. One of them must have been the elemental. He'd already found the water elemental. _Three more to go. _He tapped his foot against the trunk of the tree absently. 

The sewer matinence halls became quickly cluttered with all the junk the turtles had collected over the years. It had served as their closet since they were six or seven. Raphael and Maddie were assigned to cleared out the storage rooms, dragging the boxes into the hall. It was Master Splinter's plan to gather the elementals and the prince to live up there and be close to the turtles. That was what he was discussing with Maddie's uncle Joey at the moment. 

"Raphael, can you help me?" 

"Where are you?" Raphael looked over the stacks of shoe boxes and unboxed junk. Maddie was across the hall in another room. He set Don's assemblage of chemistry tubes, crusted with experiments gone wrong, and stepped carefully over Mikes collection of old bird cages and womans hat boxes. 

"Who's are these?" He found Maddie looking into a cardboard box. There was a rusted metal cabinet filled with electronics trapping her in, the wheels of which had been locked shut. 

"What?" Raphael went around to the back of the cabinet and prepared to push it out into the hall. 

"Do you read _penthouse?_" 

"What?!" He grabbed the box out of her hands. "No." He glanced into the box and set it on top of the cabinet. "…Those are Mike's." She smirked and crossed her arms. 

"Right." 

"What? You don't _believe_ me?" He pushed the cabinet out into the hall, the metal wheels screetching against the cement. Maddie smirked and picked up a loose bundle of strarship models, following him into the hall. 

"Oh, of course I do …I trust all 23 year olds." She said sarcastically, stacking the models away in one of the shoe boxes. 

"Ha ha." He pushed the cabinet against the wall with a thud. 

" 'Ey Maddie," They both turned. Uncle Joey stood at the top of the short ladder that lead to the maitenence hallway. He grinned through the side of his mouth and his jerry curl wiggled. "Guess who's gotta new place ta stay?" His smiled and held his arm out to her. Maddie squealed and ran into his arms. 

"Oh, I just knew you'd understand, Uncle Joey." She hugged him. Joey chuckled. Raphael smirked and crossed his arms. 

"Had a feelin' ya might be a pyro." She pulled out of his arms. "All the matchbooks were always missin'." 

_"Uncle Joey!"_ Raph chuckled. 

"Yer Raphael, right?" Maddie stepped aside. 

"yup." 

"Yer the one ha saved my Maddie didn't ya." Maddie turned red and scratched the back of her neck. 

"Yeah." 

"Heh. Then you're alright in my book." Joey turned to Maddie. "I like this kid." 

"So glad you aprove." She went back into the storage room. 

"So," Joey leaned forward and narrowed his eyes. "You're some kinda ninja, are ya?" 

"Yup." 

"Well," He leaned back. "Guess I seen everythin' huh." 

"Just 'bout." Joey smirked. 

"Yeah. You know what?" He looked around. "This actually has some good timin' to it." 

"I don't get ya." Joey chuckled. 

"Just lookin' for a place to lay low." Raphael crossed his arms. "Maddie too." 

"You knew the bar wasn't safe, didn't you" They exchanged looks. "You left Maddie there." 

"Look-" Joey grunted as he was pushed back the wall. A pair of smoldering eyes looked into his. 

"If you eva put Maddie in danger again, I swear ta god-" He pushed the boy away and reached into his belt on instinct. 

"_Why you little-_" Maddie's hand came out from behind him and grabbed the back of his collar. "Punk!" She pulled him back from the door. 

Michelangelo sat sideways on the couch in Erika's little home in a deserted building of New York City; repairing the broken wheel of his skateboard. Erika sat behind him, weaving a braid into the knot of his bandana. 

"So you really found all this stuff in the junk yard?" He looked at the things hanging in front of the windows. 

"Mostly. Some were just lying on the sidewalk, or in the park." 

"Neat." 

"Mmm." Mike twisted the screw into the axle of his skateboard. 

"Think you could show me how to make one of those wind chimes?" He tilted his head back to look at her. 

"Sure." He grinned, flashing pearly white teeth. 

"Cool." He brought his head back up and continued tinkering with his skate board. 

_**Bam-Bam-Bam!!**_

Mike jumped up with a start and whipped out his nunchucks. "That sounded like it came outside." He looked out the window and down at the alley below. Erika shrugged and got up off the couch, taking the braid ribbons with her. 

"Yeah, that happens a lot around here." She took the stuff over to a table nearby. 

"I'm gunna check it out." He set his skateboard down and jogged off to the door across the room. "Stay here." 

"Alright." Erika went to get some beads. Mike closed the door behind him slowly and disapeared down the hall. He jogged down the rickety stairwell and out into the street. It was nearly 3 o'clock, the sun set shadows at an angle. Mike edged around the front of the building and peered into the alley so he wouldn't cast any shadow. Two kids sat hunched over a large silver gun, fiddling with the bullet chamber. Three black bullet holes were visible in the wall to the right side. 

"Hey!" Mike called, the kids looked up. "Get away from that!" They took off in the other direction of the alley, leaving the pistol._ Aww man._ Mike went over and picked up the smoking gun. He looked it over cautiously and emptied the bullets into his palm. _Damn._ He took the gun with him, and went back up to the appartment. Erika came out of the kitchen with a small shoe box of beads, ducking under the clothes line. "Hey." He laid the gun on the table. She turned to it with disaproval. 

"What happened?" 

"Just some kids. They beat it after I showed up." She nodded. "Don't worry, I'll take it with me and get rid of it." She seemed pleased and went back to the couch. 

"Come, let me finish this before you go out again." Mike grimaced. 

"Yeah, keep forgettin' 'bout work." He sulked over to the couch and sat down again. Erika resumed braiding. 

_**That Night **_

"Hey, Leo! What took ya?" Raphael called, pushing a box aside from the hallway. Leonardo was the last to get home, hanging his coat up lethargically downstairs. Don and Mike had already gotten home and were helping to clear out the maitenence hall of all the junk. 

"Had work to do." 

"Right." Raph lowered the box down the ladder to Don. Mike was in Maddies room helping her move things. 

There were four rooms total, and one in the back Don was planning on hooking up as a bathroom. He had also found the nature elemental, so there were two others moving in. One room left. Don set the box down and leaned against it. 

"Jeez, I forgot we had all this crap." He opened the box. Leonardo came beside him and looked over his shoulder. "Remember these?" Don pulled out a set of small leg weights Splinter had them wear when they were young in order to build up their leg muscles. Leonardo took one from him and held it up. 

"Thought we hid those?" Raph asked from above. 

"Yeah. Till Master Splinter caught on." Don shuttered. "That was a dark day." 

"Hope you guys learned your lesson." Leonardo put the weight back and turned to go to his room. 

"S'cuse me?" Raph put his hand up to his ear. "…If I rememba' correctly _you_ put yours in the pile _too_, my friend." Leonardo waved him off and continued on to his room. Raphael chuckled and ducked back into the hall. In the first room on the right a matress had been drug from the local junk yard and set up against the wall. All the collections of the turtles old toys and gadgets were carted down to another maintenince room down farther in the sewers. 

Joey promised to get Maddie some money to get some sheets and things the next day. Tonight she was sleeping downstairs. Raphael stood in the doorway and crossed his arms. Maddie sat on the matress, propped up on cement blocks and a few milk crates, watching Mike run around the room displaying its 'possibilities'. "…Mike, where the hell are you plannin' on getting a maze of hampster tubes?" Raph asked skeptically. Mike looked at him quickly, interuppted from his interior design pitch. 

"Make 'em out of those out of those plumbing pipes piled in the back." Raphael rolled his eyes. "Shut up dillweed! You're just jealous I thought it up before you!" 

"Yeah. That must be it." 

"Butthead." 

"Dork." 

"Gack face." 

"Dweeb." 

"Dingus." Raphael opened his mouth to respond when he remembered Maddie, sitting there watching them. 

"Shut up, Mike." He mumbled and turned around. Mike grinned and went back to entertaining Maddie while Raphael finished draging out the last of the boxes. 

_**Next Day**_

"So, um… are you ready to go?" Donatello asked. Mr. Tagahasi stood trimming one of the large bonzaii trees by the stream. He smiled and turned to him. 

"Of course, Don-san. Noriko is collecting her tree from the green house." 

"Tree?" 

"Small, small bonzaii." Mr. Tagahasi laughed. Don smiled and nodded. 

"Oh." 

"I shall retrieve my bag." Mr. Tagahasi bowed slightly and left him. Don turned and kicked a stone off the path. While he had rather sucessfully found two prime candidates, he had the mistake of insisting they come down to the sewers with him without any test. Now he was feeling guilt and a bit nauseaous. If it was proved he was wrong, he was in deep shit. 

"Come to me, elemental." He looked up to the strange voice. Noriko was farther down the path holding the bonzaii tree, facing a tall man. He had long white hair pulled back in a pony tail, a long white coat over a blue cadet uniform, a pair of slick sunglasses shading his eyes. He held out towards her a crystal on a chain, throbbing excitedly with a green glow. She was fastly spellbound. "…Join …" Noriko began to walk towards him. 

"Hey!" Donatello grabbed his bo from behind his shell and began to run. The man looked up with his black eyebrows slanted down. He raised his hand, a black burst shot from his palm and pushed him back. Don's bo fell to the ground as he went flying back down the path, landing a good hundreds yards back on his shell. Noriko looked over her shoulder quickly, broken from the trance. Don groaned and pulled himself onto his hands and knees. She turned back to the man and his simple smile. 

"_Doku renge soukougeki._" She raised her hand, in some meaningful pose. Two vines shot from an strange plant growing along the side of the stream. They swiftly wrapped around the man's leg and stomach. The large fist sized buds shot up to his level on either side of his head, as if facing him. The petals opened up, ooze spreading from the inside of the petals to the stigma. Little bags hanging from the base of the bud leaves shook like tiny maracas. 

The man cursed to himself and gripped the crystal, fading into space. The flowers fired, but only into air. Lotus venom splashed onto the ground and seeped into the dirt. The vines unwove themselves and shrunk back into the plant. Noriko straightened her hair and picked up Donatello's bo, running back to him. 

"Are you alright?" She knelt by him and set the bo down. Don propped himself up on his elbows. 

"Uh, yeah…" He looked at her cautiously. "…Are _you_ ok?" She nodded. "…What was that?" 

"I thought that's what you wanted." He returned her smile tentatively. 

Michelangelo checked his helmet over on the way down to Erikas appartment. Donnie had done a pretty good job fixing it back up. The hard plastic cover had been sutured back together, some of the cracked pieces glued back on after being salvaged late at night from the skate park. Mike wasn't skating today. He promised to teach Erika to board though. 

"Hey Erika, ready to 'catch some air'? _'Pick the nose'_? Ride the--" He pushed the door open to her room, having been left ajar. "Erika?" She sat in the middle of the room hugging her knees. Everything had disapeared. The couch, furniture, stove, fridge, food, even the shelves he noticed as he looked into the kitchen. Everything was gone. Erika wiped her eyes with her arm and looked over at him. _"What happened?" _

_"All my things are gone."_ She sobbed. 

_"Hey, hey, hey,"_ Mike ran over to her side and knelt down. _"Don't cry!"_ He wrapped his arms around her. Maybe there was something funny he could do to make her smile. 

"They took _everything!_" 

"Hey, don't worry! We'll get it back!" She shook her head. 

"I didn't even see who took it." 

"Well… well, that doesn't matter! I'll find it!" She kept crying. _Oh man._ "Erika-" He looked down at her. A cool wind blew through the flat and whirled around them both. Mike grimaced as the tails of his mask flapped around his eyes. Erika's hair blew around him and tickled the back of his neck. The wind howled and blew back out another window. Mike opened his eyes again. 

Erika's hair and skin had turned snow white. All her clothes had transmorficated themselves into a short white dress, light and glittery. The tips of two glassy double fairy wings touched the floor, folded over her back. Her tears glistened with tiny diamonds. Mike swallowed, Erika opened her eyes and looked at him. Her eyes were the same color of her tears; crystaline white, shimmering with diamonds. She wiped the tears away with the side of her lily hand. She closed her eyes again as a gust of wind blew through the room. The tails of Mike's mask blew in front of his face again. He brushed them out of his face as the wind blew back out of the room. Erika had turned back again. 

"Uh… You can stay with me, Erika." She looked up at him, tears running down her cheek. 

"Really?" 

" 'Course, you'll love my brothers." He stroked her cheek and put his arm around her to help her to her feet. "You'll be safe with us too." She nodded. "Don't worry about a thing." 


	4. chapter 4

Untitled Document

Leonardo moseyed down the alley beside the club, kicking a soda can along. It had been nearly a week since his only lead was gone. He had continued to return to the pool, but it hadn't lead him anywhere. He was putting in extra time, meditating at home. Still nothing came to him. He was beginning to get frustrated. Especially when _Raphael_ found an elemental, where he was the least motivated of the four of them. Leonardo sighed and stopped just outside the entrance to the alley. Failure was bitter. 

"Why didn't you just take the bus." 

"I don't like taking the bus." Leonardo looked out from the dark alley. The girl from the roof was being led away from the gym by her mother, being held by her arm. The only thing was, she didn't look like the girls' mother. She was tall with a long face and sallow cheeks, a large polish looking nose. Her platinum greying hair was short and curly. The girl had a rounder face and small nose, slightly course dark brown hair, she was a little shorter too. The older women scoffed. 

"You should've just waited." 

"The gym closed early. I didn't want to be hanging around all alone." 

" 'I don't like the bus', 'I don't want to wait'." The women immitated her. "You're pitiful, Lita. I can't keep pickin' you up everytime you have no where to go. Next time you _walk_." The women let her arm go once they reached a car parked outside the club. Lita rubbed her arm and opened the door as the women mumbled to herself. Leonardo stepped back into the shadows. _What a jerk._ The car rumbled and started off. _Lita… _

"Erika?" 

"Noriko?" The girls cocked their heads. Mike and his brother exchanged looks. 

"You know each other?" Don asked. 

"Yes. Erika comes for walks in the arboretum." Noriko said. "She helps me work." They both smiled. 

"Well! Whatcha know!" Mike beamed, putting his hands on his hips. They stood in the den of the lair, Mr. Tagahasi and Splinter sharing tea in the kitchen. Noriko still held her little bonzaii tree. "Guess we already have a pair of roommates here." Mike grinned. The girls looked to him, then back at each other. 

"If Leo would jus' get his ass in gea' we'd be done." Raphael came down the ladder from the hall. 

"Oh, this is Raphael." Don introduced. "Raph, this is Noriko and-" 

"Erika." Mike grinned. 

"Air and earth, right?" Raphael leaned against the ladder. The japanese girl was blocking his way to the kitchen. 

"Air and nature, genius. They didn't _have_ earth in Delphus." He waved Don off. "Come on. We'll show you your room." 

"Who's going ta get dinner?" Raphael ambled into the kitchen. Leonardo, Donatello, Master Splinter, Mr. Tagahasi, Joey, and Noriko sat around talking. "I went last time." 

"You always go out ta eat?" Joey asked. 

"Pizza or sushi." Raphael pulled himself up onto the counter, hoping Joey would catch a glimpse of the sai tip that touched the counter. 

"Hey, why don't Maddie cook." Joey suggested. Raphael smirked. 

_"Maddie?" _

"Aw yeah, she's a great cook. _'Ey Maddie!_" He called. She arrived a few moments later holding a hand of poker cards against her chest, away from prying eyes. 

"Yeah?" 

"Why doncha make dinner." 

"What?" 

"Come on, you love ta cook." Her face started turning red again. "Go make some s'ketti sauce or something." He waved his hand around. 

_"Uncle-"_ She hissed. Raphael stifled a smile. 

"Go on," He waved her to the stove. 

"I'd like a home cooked dinner." Leonardo offered. 

"Me too." Don chimed. 

"Oh _yeah_." Raphael said sarcastically. 

"Well, Raphael. Since you're so deft about Madeline's cooking, perhaps you should assist her." Splinter sipped his tea. Raphael's jaw hung open "If you do not object." He looked to Maddie. 

"Ah… alright." 

"Then we shall leave you two to your kitchen." Splinter eased out of the chair. Don took the cards from Maddie and followed the last of them out. Raphael grumbled and pushed himself off the counter. Maddie closed the door and went to begin. 

"Thanks a lot." Raphael grumbled. 

"You got yourself into it. Put on an apron now." 

Sitting before the crystals Nikira found himself being lectured like a repugnant child. The halved elemental crystals were placed around the circle of matrix jewels. Two of the four had already been actived; Fire had been for a long time, Air was resumed very recently. A third had been accelerated, but not initiated. The ancients were angered the mission had gone only down hill. The anniversary was less than three months away. All he could say was the nature elemental had disapeared. He was in direct contact with it, and it got away. They were very angry about that one. 

His appearance had been a catalyst, and only served to lose the elementals to the advisors. _Please aleive me, my lieges …if you shall only lead myself to the elemental remainder, I give word I shall aprehend all._ The crystal throbbed agitatedly. Nikira bowed his head. _I **shall** suceed. _

"Can't believe _you_ cook," Raphael scoffed at Maddie mixed around the tomato paste in the cabinets; used to make pizza normally. 

"Well. Uncle Joey can't boil water. So I sort of picked it up." She shrugged. 

"What about your mom." 

"My parents are dead." 

"Oh." 

"I kind of jumped around between relatives and foster families till I was ten, when I lived with Uncle Joey. He needed someone to take care of him. I just kind of hung around ever since." Raphael wiped his eyes with his arm. Maddie smirked and looked over at him. "…Are you crying." 

"These fucking onions." He closed his eyes tightly. She scoffed and turned back to the pot. 

"You can be sure an ass." She poured a handful of salt into the pot. 

"_Wha?_" He looked over at her, going back to chopping onions. "Oh yeah, _boo hoo_. Sad story." 

"You know, you could at least _fake_ a little empathy." 

"Yeah, but that would require some thinking. Here." He scooped up the onion in his hands and offered them to her. 

"Put them in the pot." He shrugged and dumped them in. "Don't you have any garlic?" She asked, poking through the cabinets. 

"Yeah, hold on." He left the kitchen. Maddie sighed and stirred the pot around. She watched the water on the stove began to get little bubbles on the sides of the pot, wisps of steam travling up. Something about it made her want to dump the pot out. Maddie took Raphael's cutting board and dumped it in the sink. "Here." He came back into the kitchen holding a braid of garlics. She took them from him. 

"Where'd you get all these?" 

"Mike was watching horror movies late at night a few weeks ago. Hung it over his bed." Maddie kept herself from giggling as Mike scurried into the kitchen. She ducked out of the way as the fur flied 

_~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~_

Michelangelo looked around suspiciously and put his cards down. Don and Leo were teaching Erika and Noriko to play poker with them. All losing to Maddie's uncle Joey. Splinter and Mr. Tagahasi were mediatating in the dojo. Mike drifted off from the card table and wandered into the kitchen, peeking into the room. Raphael was taking out all their plates and in lack of the plates; bowls. Maddie was stirring something on the stove that smelled heavenly. Mike snuck up behind her and looked over her shoulder. 

"What's cookin'?" He whispered. 

"Nuthin', buzz off." Raphael pushed him off. 

_"Come on, man."_ Mike moaned. _"Lemme smell!" _

"I think you've had enough." Raph turned him around by the shoulders and led him out of the kitchen. Maddie stifled a laughed. "Mighta had ta rough him up." Raphael came back up to the counter, rubbing his fists. 

"You're terrible to each other." She stirred the sauce around. 

"Yeah, he likes it though. _Doncha Mike_." He called out. 

"You won't let me smell, I'm not sayin' anything!" Mike laughed back. Raphael chuckled. 

"Jeez." Maddie shook her head. "See if the spaghetti's done." He took his sai off the table and used it to fork up strands of spaghetti. 

"Looks pretty done." 

_"Raph!"_ "Wha?" She grabbed the sai. 

"You can't do _that_." She let the pasta slide back into the pot. He shrugged. "Make the pasta all dirty." 

"You sayin' my stuff's dirty?" He crossed his arms. 

"No, no, I only saying-" She set the blade down again. He postured, waiting for an explaination. "I mean… Oh…" She scratched her hair, her cheeks starting to turn red. "Not that…" She swallowed. How was he unsulted exactly? Raphael smirked and twirled his other sai around. 

"Jeez, you get nervous pretty easy." He went back to getting silverware. Her mouth hung open. 

"You're such a jerk." Maddie took the pot with the spaghetti and brought it to the sink. She put the top over it and tipped the water out. Steam wafted up in a thick smog and burnt her hand. Maddie squeaked, loosing her grip on the pot handle. The top began to slid off, causing more steam to pour out with the water. Raphael came up behind her and took the handle. She let it go an stepped aside. He gave her a questionable look and took her place, draining the spaghetti. She rubbed her hand and went to stir the tomato sauce instead. 

Lita sat on her pool stands in front of the racing rows, wrapping up her ankle. She had sprained it a few months ago and it had been bothering her _again_. The class had already finished, she was alone in the club that night. It was six o'clock, her ride was in an hour. One hour before open pool ended. 

The life guard for the night was off talking with her boyfriend on the phone, so she couldn't be in the water. Which was lame because she was several times the swimmer Maura was. Lita sighed and hung her feet over the edge of the pool, splashing the water up her legs. _Bored, bored, bored_. She looked around the room. Behind her was the hallway to the locker rooms, saunas, and out into the lobby. To the left of the pool were stacks of towels and the little guard tower, behind which was the acess door to the roof. Lita rolled her head around and pushed herself off the stand and around. 

"_Maura,_ come on already!" She paused. A tall man stood in front of her. He had long white hair pulled back in a pony tail and a pair of black sunglasses. His cream colored dress suit struck her as odd, and out of place. Lita swallowed, his gaze boring into her. "Um… the registration desk is out there." She pointed to the hall. He started walking towards her. She stepped back. "Uh…" Her eyes widened. "_Maura?_" She looked over his shoulder. Maura lie on the floor down the hall, the pay phone hanging off the hook. She tensed. 

_** Bloooooosh!**_

Lita collapsed backwards into the pool. She resurfaced and wiped the water out of her eyes. _Way to go, Einstien._ The man smirked and pulled a necklace from beneath his purple shirt. It had a crystal hanging from it, giving off a blue light. He held it out for her to see. Lita peered into the crystal. _Huh?_ She stood up in the pool, water running down her face, into her eyes again. Her pulse began softening. The crystals' light swelled gently, casting a blue light over the mans shirt. …Lita's eyes began to droop, looking into the milky center of the stone. So pretty… 

The man jerked forward, then lost his balance and toppled into the pool with a splash. Lita blinked several times, water bursting over her in a wave. She wiped the water off her face and looked about as if waking up. There was what apeared to be a giant turtle wearing a trenchcoat and hat taking the mans' place. He leaned over the edge of the pool, holding one of the diving stands and reaching out to her. 

_"Give me your hand!"_ She looked back at the man in the water, now getting up to his feet. His beautiful suit was soaked. He was beginning to regain his senses, and looking severely pissed off at his dampened state. Alright then,… Giant turtle…or creepy guy. Lita looked back to the turtle. _"Come on!"_ He reached out to her farther. _Aw damn. I just wanted to go swimming,_ She groaned to herself, reaching out to him. The turtle grabbed her hand and pulled her out of the pool with a swift jerk. She stumbled to her feet, her hair falling in her face. _"Let's go!"_ Still holding her hand he ran around to the side of the pool by the guard tower. She looked over her shoulder one more time to see the man pulling himself from the pool. He looked like a wet cat. She had to try not to smile. The turtle threw open the door to the acess stairwell and ran up it, pulling Lita along behind him. 

_"Hold on! I can't run that fast!" _He apparently didn't hear her since he didn't slow. Lita stumbled along behind him trying to keep up. The turtle opened the top door way to the roof and continued running right up to the edge. It was cold out compared to the humid air of the pool, her heat was leaving. Lita doubled over and wheezed for air, putting her free hand to her chest. The turtle was looking over the edge of the roof into the alley beside the club. "Oh jeez." She closed her eyes. 

"There's a garbage crate down there, come on." 

_"What?!"_ She looked up incredulously. "I don't think so." From the stairwell could be heard the sounds of footsteps running up the metal stairs. The turtle looked at her. "Woah, _no way._" 

"Come on," He grabbed her waist and leapted off the roof. Just like that. Lita screamed, air whistling around her. The turtle brought one of his hands up to the back of her neck and smothered her face against the shoulder of his coat. She went to pound his chest but found her arms pinned up against him. 

_** Thrunch.**_

They landed in a full garbage crate, Lita lying over the turtle. She didn't move for few moments, then looked up. She wasn't dead. That was a surprise... maybe not the preferred one. The turtle bent his neck to look down at her. She sat up quickly, stradling his waist. 

"Oh gross, _garbage_." She saw all the crud around them. He put his finger to his lips in response. Lita pulled herself off over the edge of the crate and onto the dirty ground of the alley. The turtle pulled himself out after her and went over to a man hole cover at the opposite end. Lita made a face and started wiping off all the garbage that had stuck to her wet skin. _Nastiness_. The turtle signaled to her, kneeling in front of an open sewer hole. Lita opened her mouth and shook her head exasperatively. He shrugged and dropped into the sewer. _God, I'm not **nuts**_. She looked around. _I'm not about to jump into some reeking **sewer** just to_… She could hear footsteps on the roof above. A shadow passing. _Screw_. She scurried over to the sewer and climbed down the ladder. _Can't belive I'm doing this._ The sewer was mildly humid and damp. Kind of like the pool. A thin layer of sewer juices ran along the bottom of the tunnel. Now that was nasty. The turtle was down there waiting. He climbed back up and put the manhole cover back in place after her. _"What the hell's going on?!"_ She demanded. 

"Don't worry, you're safe down here." He climbed back down the ladder. 

"_Safe?!_ I'm with a _giant turtle_ in a _sewer!_ I don't call that _safe! I call it weird as hell!_" The turtle smirked. "What the hell are you smiling at?!" 

"Nothing. Come on." He started walking down the sewer. She groaned and followed him, up on the side to avoid getting her feet wet. 

"Who _are_ you?" 

"My name's Leonardo." 

"Ugh, That was less informative then I hoped." 

"It's a complicated story. We should get to the lair first." Lita stopped in her tracks. 

"Woah, wait a second." He stopped and turned to her. "I _don't_ think so …I'm cold, I'm wet, I'm in a sewer, I'm half naked, there's some creepy stalker out there, and _I'm_ with a giant turtle who wants me to go home with him." She crossed her arms under her breasts. 

"Come on, I'll explain on the way." He turned back down the sewer and started walking. Lita pounded her foot on the cement, watching him walk off. …_jerk_. She ran after Leonardo and slowed to walk beside him. He took his jacket off and laid it over her shoulders. She held onto the shoulders lapels and glanced up at him. He walked in silence from then on. 

_ *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*_

Lita tied Leonardo's coat tight around her, standing outside her foster home. Sandy was totally going to bitch her out. It was 7 am, she had slept over at 'the lair' after spending the night listening to Master Splinters' tales. Splinter had established her as a water elemental and had asked her to return the next day. That wasn't so bad. She had met Maddie Carlino there too, a girl in her biology class last year, who thankfully let her borrow an extra pair of jeans. 

She looked over her shoulder, Leonardo stood in the shadows with his arms crossed leaning back against another building. She still thought he was a jerk. Which was strange, since she usually got along with just about everybody. Lita sighed and punched the buzzer. She had left her keys in the gym. 

_"Who is it."_ The intercom fuzzed. _Sandy. _She was awake. 

"Lita." 

"_**Lita,** you got a lot of explainin' ta do!_" 

"Alright, Sandy." 

"_Don't **'Alright Sandy' **me! You know your case manager called last night!" _

"San-" 

"_What were you off doin'? Weed?_" Lita looked over her shoulder again, Leonardo was still there. _Oh jeez_. 

"Sandy, could you just let me in?" There were several akward moments before the door unlocked. Lita relaxed and went inside. 

Mike wandered about downtown, having gone out to get stuff for Maddie. He had forgotten the money. So he was just walking around now, not wanting to go home and get hassled by Leonardo. _I'm outsmartin' him, and getting fresh air._ Mike smirked, turning the corner. Down the street two guys were sitting on a cement stairwell siding. There was a clothes rack against the wall with little trinkets and wind chimes hanging from it. One of the guys had his feet propped up on a mini fridge. Mike glared and ducked back behind the wall. 

"What's that?" Startled from his work, Donatello sat up. Noriko stood in the doorframe of his narrow little room. He wondered how long she had been standing there. "Oh, just something I've been tinkering with." He rubbed his finger over the wilting leaves of his test plant. She came and sat down on the end of his bed. "It hasn't been responding very well." 

"Too what?" 

"I've been growing it under a pink light... with some special water." He added in hopes of her frown lessening. It only deepened. 

"That's not very nice." 

"Huh?" 

"Killing a poor flower." 

"It's an experiment. I'm not _trying_ to kill it." She took the pot from him. "It's in the name of science." He finished, turning into a mumble. "Many things are in the name of science." She said as she massaged the flower. Donatello straightened up his nightstand and put the pillow back in its place. He cursed himself for not cleaning up before his work. At least it wasn't Splinter giving him a spot check. 

Don looked back at Noriko to see that she hadn't glimpsed his other atrocious experiments. She was still gazing down at the flower, holding the stem limply in her fingers. He perked up a little to see the leaves straighten out, brightening in green. The petals unfurled and flushed, the soil turned a richer brown. 

"_Wha…_" He furrowed his brow. Noriko brought her hand back, revealing the completed little daisy. It was almost as good as the day he bought it. 

"Mabye you should plant this in a garden. It would fare much better in sun." She ran her fingers over the petals and handed it back to him. 

"Uhhhh…" He took it from her and looked at it scrutinizingly. Had there been some osmosis to strengthen the stem like that? Maybe the mitochondria were energized. Noriko smiled and slid off the bed. 

"Not everything is science, _Don-san_." He nodded her off. 

Mike peeked into Erikas room, hiding his eyes behind a renegade leaf of Norikos vine. She was sitting upon her bed. Her head stuck in a book. It was one of Leonardo's old japaneese readers. Not that she understood any of it. Mike grinned at his good fortune. 

"Hey Erika!" He chirped, emerging from behind his cover. "Guess what _IIIIIIII_ got!" Her head cocked and closed the book. 

"What?" He grinned. 

"_Ta da!_" He wobbled into the room, the refridgerator and a box full of her things balancing precariously in his arms. She looked over the edge of the bed as he set them down. 

"Is that…?" 

"Yup." He grinned proudly, setting his hands on his hips and puffing out his chest. Erika hopped off the bed and knelt beside the box. She pulled out one of the tangled up wind chimes, a wide smile spreading on her face. "They didn't have your furniture, and some of the wind chimes were already sold. But most of the stuff's there. Had ta rough some people's up, though." He took on an accent mixxed with Joey and Raph, rubbing his knuckles. 

"Oh Mike, _Thank you_." She hugged him. He blushed and returned the hug with a ninja like humbleness. "This means _so much_ to me." 

"Well…" He scratched his head, grinding his toe into the floor. She knelt by the box again and scooped up the knot of fishing wire, watches, windchimes, and crystals. It lay inert in her hand, a few apologetic tinkles sounding out. "_Hmmmm…_" He looked at it as well. "I'll-uh." The mass was transferred from her hands. "I'll take care a that." Mike mumbled as he wandered off. 

"You're late." 

"I had to sneak out." Lita climbed down the ladder to the sewer floor. The voice from below had obviously been waiting with some impatience for her. "Here." She handed him his trench coat. 

"Thanks." He laid it over his arm. "Come on." Leonardo turned and started down the sewer. Lita rolled her eyes and followed him, imagining he was thinking he was king of the sewers. "…Did you get in trouble?" 

"Hmm?" She looked up. 

"With your mom." 

"Oh, yeah…uh, kinda." She scratched the back of her neck. 

"We'll have to do something about that." 

"About _what?_" 

"Your foster family. You need to move down here now. You're in danger." 

"Mmm." 

"You should be taking this more earnestly." 

"I _am_!" He laughed through his nose. She crossed her arms. 

"You fell into a _pool_." Lita fumed. "You _screamed your head off_." He faced ahead. "And you nearly got us _caught_." He ended very matter-of-factly, as if giving a lesson to a child. 

"So sorry." Lita rolled her eyes. He glanced at her, then back ahead. 

"What did Maura say." She sighed. 

"She didn't remember anything. Or any guy for that matter." 

"Hmmm." 

"Hmmm, what does 'Hmmm' mean." 

"It means I think Master Splinter would be interested to hear that." 

"Right." 

"We're here." He opened the door to the lair, hidden in a cement alcove in the sewer wall. Inside the den was relatively quiet, from the kitchen Master Splinter's and Mr. Tagahasi's voices emanated in foreign tongues. Leonardo hung up his coat on the hanger by the door. Lita began to take off her jacket too. "What's that?" She jerked up. Leonardo was looking at her shoulder. She pulled the jacket back up swiftly, hiding the black and blue. But it was too late. 

"Nothin'." She walked away. He grabbed her shoulder, making her wince. 

"Hold on there." 

"What? _Lemme alone_." 

"Where'd you get that?" 

"I fell." She pulled her arm. He appreciated enough about bruising to sense that could be only if she had fallen onto a fist. 

"No you didn't. Who hit you." 

"_No one, **let go**_." 

"Who." She growled, trying to pull her arm back. The truth was, it was completely embarrassing. She wanted to melt into the floor. "_Who._" 

"_God._" She exclaimed. "Sandy, _alright?!_" He looked at her for a moment, but she avoided his eyes. He scoffed and let her go. 

"Sandy." He walked past her. 

"_What?!_" He turned back. 

"You just let her hurt you?" 

"What am I supposed to do?" 

"Fight back." She rolled her eyes. 

"Oh yeah, that's smart." 

"_How could you_- ..._Why didn't you_-..." Words got stuck in his throat the same way the meaning did in his head. In the end he just let it go. 

"Just leave me alone." She whispered. 

"Hey! Lita Pita!" Mike slid down the ladder on the sides of his feet. "_Aloha!_" 

"Hey Mike." She ran her fingers through her hair. 

"_Aloha-wa-na Lo-ha-wa-na-na-na Waaahiiii!_" He hoola danced to make her laugh. "Hey, Erika! C'mon!" He called up the ladder grinning. 

"Coming!" Someone called back down. 

"Hey Lita, you stayin' for dinner?" Mike hopped up on the hammock. 

"Uh, no. I'll probly just go home." Lita scratched her head. Mike shrugged. 

"Hey Lita." Maddie appeared from one of the other hallways, ducking under army netting. The black and white waitressing clothes looked familiar. Like she had been wearing them yesterday. 

"Oh _damn,_" Lita pressed her hands to her head. "I forgot your jeans." 

"Don't worry about it." 

"about what." Raphael came out of his room. 

"Your face. Lita was wondering if it's always been that way." Mike teased. He was glared at. 

"_I di'not!_" Lita claimed. A cane came out and slapped Michelangelo's shin. He grimanced and stiffened. Raphael smirked, and was bapped with the cane as well. Splinter frowned at them both and continued forward a few steps. 

"Lita, please sit down." He smiled and motioned for her. 

"Thank you." She sat down. Maddie came and sat by her as Erika and Norkio came down from the hall. Master Splinter took his seat, leaning his cane against the arm of the chair. Raphael sat down on the arm of the couch, twirling his sai about. Leonardo and Donatello stood. 

"Now that we have assembled…" Splinter clasped his hands together. 

Michelangelo glanced up at the elemental, holding a stop watch. The whirl wind flew around the cold metal room, blowing cool air through his beard and making him shiver. The tornado slowed, letting things come back into focus. The elemental regained it's footing, compensating with it's wings. Michelangelo clicked the watch. 

"Quite acceptable." He nodded. 

"I thank you." She bowed at the waist, folding back her new wings. 

"The sun is giving to the night. Our comrades have attended us long enough to give an aching briar to their feet." He turned and left the maintinence room. Erika flew behind him, her glassy wings fluttering. 

In the center hall the others had already converged. Pheonix and the nymph glared at each other while they waited. Ardimus stood at the head of the hall patiently, looking over his court. The nobles and gentlemen stood about talking softly. The other advisors stood about, looking up when they arrived. Sir Raphael crossed his arms. The elemental flitted it's wings, setting her feet back on the ground soundly. 

"Many apologies your lordship." Michelangelo bowed deeply. Ardimus nodded. 

"Please," He held his hand out. "…Demonstrate us the fruits of your labor." The court spread out to the side of the room, leaving the advisors and elementals isolated. Michelangelo and the fairy joined into the group and took their places. Fire and Water faced each other, Air and Nature beside them. The advisors stood behind each of them in a square. 

Only after day light could they activate all their powers together, otherwise would signal the soldiers and send them straight to the underground. That was a very messy lesson they learned. 

Each advisor closed their eyes. The elemenals began to glow softly. They held round golfball sized crystals before them in the cup of their hands. The crystals floated straight up and met in the center above. The glowing began to grow, the elementals turning into a sphere of single white light. A high pitched buzz became audible to the ear and began to grow. The sphere blasted into a tiny ball for a fraction of a second, then back out again, bathing the room in quiet light… 

"Woah." Mike collapsed back in the hammock. 

"_What was **that?**_" Lita's mouth hung open. 

"A time space exchange." Leonardo filled in. She rolled her eyes. 

"Sweetness." Mike grinned with exhaustion. 

"Why'd you show us _that_?" Donatello asked. Splinter set his hands in his lap, opening his dark eyes. 

"The more you know about your past, the easier things will become …you _all_ must come to understand what you have become involved in." Leonardo nodded. He seemed to be the only one concerned with any gravity. Splinter seemed pleased and eased out of his chair. 

"Cool. This kicks ass." Mike grinned. 

"Lita, when do you need to get back?" Maddie asked, bringing her knees up onto the couch. She checked her watch. 

"**_Crap,_**_ I'm totally late._" Her eyes widened. She imagined just what was waiting for her at home. 

"I apologize, Lita. This took longer then I had anticipated." Splinter stopped with his cane in hand. Lita got up. 

"That's alright. I really gotta go now." 

"Leonardo, take her home." Splinter turned to his oldest son. Lita froze. 

"That's ok, I know how to get out." 

"Truly, it's no trouble. Leonardo," Leonardo bowed and went to get his coat. Lita sighed under her breath and followed him to the door. 

"Bye Lita." Maddie said. 

"See ya tomorrow!" Mike called. Lita nodded and followed Leonardo out. "That was sweet." He said when they had left. "We should do that again." Splinter gave him a look, quickly silencing him. 

"Thank you, Master Splinter." Noriko bowed also. Splinter smiled. 

"You are very welcome, my child." 

"Noriko, Kaketsukeru koko." Mr. Tagahasi called. 

"Sannyuu." Noriko ran off to the ladder and climbed back up. Raphael toyed with his sai. 

"So what're we gunna do 'bout Lita, anyway." 

"She needs to be down here." Donatello added. Splinter nodded comtemplatively. "I don't know how easy that will be with SRS on her." 

"_Ey_, I gotcha covered." Joey ambled out from one of the halls on cue. 


	5. chapter 5

Untitled Document "Want me to wait here?" Leonardo stood in the wait between buildings beside the foster house. Lita tiptoed through the garden ahead of him and cringed at his offer. 

"_No._" She insisted, stopping in front of the terracing. "I can take care of myself." She grasped the rungs and pulled herself up. 

"Mm hmm." He leaned against the wall. Lita ignored him and climbed her way up. The window to her room was a few feet to the right on the second floor. She stopped at the top of the terrace, balancing herself slowly on the second rung to the end. Leonardo uncrossed his arms and stepped below her as she reached out for the window ledge. She waved her hand around a bit before she slapped the window sill, then jumped off the terrace. Leaves tumbled down with the agitation and fluttered to the ground. 

"_Aaaa! I'm gunna fall!_" She kicked her feet around. Leonardo climbed onto the fence. Lita broke up laughing and he stopped. "I can't believe you fell for that." With a jump she managed to hoist herself onto the open sill. 

"That wasn't funny." Leonardo got off the terrace and glared up at her. Lita looked down from the inside of her room. 

"What're you talking about, that was hilarious." 

"Someone could've gotten hurt." She scoffed. 

"Mabye when you get that bat out of you ass you could learn to have a little fun." He reached down and grabbed a rooty dirt clod on the edge of the garden. He brought his arm back and fired it off. The dirt clod hit Lita straight in the chest. She shrieked as it exploded into a puff of dust and made her fall over into the room. 

"Your right. That was fun." She scrambled back up to the window. 

"_You big fat jerk! You could've killed me!_" 

"I'm sure it would be a huge lose." She growled. 

"…Well, I'm fine now. So _go home_." Leonardo smirked to himself and sunk deeper into the shadows. _Sheesh_. She turned back and climbed into her room. _Thinks he's so special_. 

_**Don't Screw with Me....**_

Early afternoon, the quiet time for food and rest. After practice. Raphael looked in on the kitchen, making sure Splinter wasn't inside waiting to order more katas. Mike had gone straight for the candy bowl in his room. Don was fixing Erikas refrigerator while he waited for the shower. Except for Maddie, the cost clear. And she wouldn't rat on him for hording food anyway. Raph went to the refridgerator, letting the door swing freely. 

"Whatcha doin'." He pulled out a left over slice of pizza, hiding behind the lettuce crisper. 

"Making a list." 

"Of _what_." He turned on the stove. Don had borrowed the microwave for one of his experiments and hadn't returned it. 

"Things we need for dinner." The pizza landed on a skillet and was set on the stove grill. 

"Great." He rolled his eyes. "Guess you'll be making dinner_ every night_ now." Maddie turned to him and gave a disaproving stare. 

"Splinter said you'd been having too much pizza anyway. To greasy. Not healthy enough for growing boys. And I'm very sorry you don't like my cooking but it wasn't my idea so you don't have to be a jerk about it." She added quickly. Raphael looked at her and she walked out, taking her paper with her. 

"So that's what they call PMSing." He stuck in before she got out the door. She turned back to give him a searing glare. He tried not to shiver and gave her one back, not quite knowing why. She brought her hand up and flicked her wrist. The burner flared up around the pan, quickly turning the contents to a chunk of black smelly ash. He looked into the pan as the flames died back. 

"_Fuck!_" 

"Shut up and deal." She said on her way out. "Big fat jerk." He heard her mutter afterwards. 

Donatello snapped up from his experiments, hearing Norikos shriek. He dropped the plant back on his desktop and dashed from the room, nearly tripping over her shoe on the ground. Once in the hall he froze and clapped a hand over his mouth. Noriko hung helplessly from the ceiling, a cord wrapped around her ankle. She turned around slowly, her short braids hanging down in her face. She reached down, her fingers outstretched, trying to reach the ground. Don strained the muscles in his neck, taking his hand away. 

"Don-san." She turned his way. He burst out laughing. "That's not helping." He leaned against the wall. Mike emmerged from his room. 

"Hey!" He leaned over to be at Noriko's level. "You ruined my trap!" 

"Your _trap?_" 

"Yeah," He grinned. "Erika showed me how to make a trap for mice and stuff. So I just made it bigger. I was gunna catch Raph in it." Donatello finally caught his breath. 

"Mike, go get something to cut her down with." 

"But that'll ruin it." Mike pouted. "And it took me forever to put this together." Noriko pressed her fingers together. 

"_Hitokui Tsumu Soukougeki_." Her hands glowed, light green currents swirling around them. From the ladder behind her a long vine wrapped itself down the rungs and across the floor with astonishing speed. It wrapped itself around Mike's ankle before he had a chance to retreat and stuck him repeatedly with a deep red stigma. 

"_Ow! Ow! Ow!_" He grabbed his ankle. The vine unwound itself and returned up to Noriko's room. "_That stings!_" He scratched the fine rash. "Itchy." Noriko brought her hands back. "Don' have to be so pushy." He muttered, hopping off to the kitchen. Donatello laughed. 

"I'm sorry about that." She said. Don sat down on his haunches to be at her level. 

"He deserved it. Don't worry about him. What kind of plants do you have up there, anyway." He held her shoulders straight. 

"Just some seedlings grandfather brought from Japan." 

"Startled Mike well enough." He smiled. 

"Here." Mike hopped back to the hall and handed Donatello the knife, scratching his red ankle. He pouted and hopped back into his room. Don stood back up and cut the cord carefuly, holding the knot around her ankle. He lowered her to the ground slowly. Noriko walked her hands along the ground till she could finally sit. Don knelt down and cut the rope around her foot. 

"Thanks." She rubbed her ankle. He handed her her shoe. 

Leonardo paced below Lita's window, watching the shadows lengthen. It was almost 5. He had waited in the sewer for 2 hours before going topside. _How long does it take to sneak out of one house?_ He rolled a few of the pebbles around in his hand and chucked them up at her window. They skittled over the pane and fell back down. He got ready to throw another few when the window opened. 

"Who is it?" Lita peeked over the sill. 

"Leonardo. _What the hell are you doing!_ You should've been out _2 hours _ago!" 

"Look, I'm sorry. I can't go out today. Sandy grounded me for staying over the other night" 

"Did you try a phone." He crossed his arms. 

"There's no phone in the room." 

"So go where there _is_ a phone." He said through gritted teeth. 

"Because I can't leave my room, stupid." 

"Look," He pointed his finger at her. "I'm supposed to be looking out for you, and it's not too easy to do that when you _don't show up_ to begin with." 

"Hey, I said I'm sorry." He sighed. 

"Alright. Come on, Splinter wants to talk with you." 

"I can't leave my room." 

"What are you talking about? I already looked in, nobody's home." 

"I just can't, _ok_. Leave it at that." He crossed his arms. 

"Will you get down here …or do I have to come up here and get you." 

"Look, _I-can't-go-out-to-day_." She pronunciated. "How many times do I have to tell you." 

"_Why not_." She didn't respond. "Lita…" He warned. 

"Fine, alright! My feet are chained to the bed." He started to smile. She glared at him and disapeared from the window. 

"No, really." He called. 

"Fuck off." He chuckled. 

"Lita…" She didn't show up again. He sighed and started to scale the terrace. A few remaining dried leaves fluttered to the ground. There were empty spaces on the rungs where noticable hand holds and foot holds had been forged. He climbed up and pulled himself onto the window sill. The side of Litas bed was flush against the wall, he had to stop himself before he tripped over it. The rest of the room was unusually sparse. There was a beareau, but a visibly frequented suitcase full of clothes was opened beside it. Lita sat on the bed with her knees up. She didn't look up when he showed up . Leonardo pushed the window open the rest of the way then froze. There were old shackles around Lita's bare ankles that locked her to the foot of the bed. He stopped smiling. Lita crossed her arms over her knees, looking at her beauru. 

"What." 

"I thought you were kidding." He mumbled. She didn't say anything. He climbed out over the bed and took out his swords he had sense enough to bring. "Hold on." She looked up as he brought his sword back. 

"_Hey,_" She grabbed the hilt of the katana. "Don't... Just go." He brought the sword down. She looked back forward again, crossing her arms back over her knees. He waited a few moments then sheathed his swords. She set her chin on her arms. Leonardo looked at her for a few more moments then climbed back out to the window. He scaled back down the terrace to the garden below and disapeared into the shadows. 

"Leo, where's Lita?" Mike asked, looking up from his work with Erika. 

"She can't come today." Leonardo went to the refridgerator and pulled out a carton of milk. 

"Aw man." He sighed as Leonardo poured himself a glass of milk. "Hey, Joey got some paper work for Lita 'n stuff. Pretty cool, eh?" He chirped. 

"Yeah." 

"Maddie and Noriko went out to get things for dinner." Erika reported. "They'll be back soon and said not to eat anything." 

"Maddie's gunna teach me ta cook." Mike grinned. 

"Mmm." Leonardo put the milk away. Mike returned to making glass trinkets as his brother slipped away. In the hallway to his room was a rope hanging down from the ceiling. Leonardo raised an eyebrow at it and passed by to his room, tthe last of the four doors. Across from it was conveniently placed the dojo, which decided to visit later. He went into his room and set the glass on his desk. Rumpling the neat sheets as he flopped down, the matress gave way under his shell. He pulled out one of his books and flipped it open. 

"Meowr." Leonardo looked up. A stray calico kitten leapt up on his bed and trotted over to him. 

"Hey peaches." Leonardo ruffled his head. He purred and crawled into his lap. Peaches was one of a handful of cats that had ever wandered into the lair looking for food. Ever since Leonardo had painstakingly washed and cleaned his fur of an oil spill he had taken him as his 'person'. The attention didn't go unnoticed, and it wasn't soon after after that he was pegged as Leonardos' 'cat'. "Haven't seen you for sometime." Leonardo scratched his belly. 

"Mowr." He nuzzled his nose into Leonardo's leg. He smiled. 

"Hungry?" Peaches turned over and looked up at him with his big orange eyes. 

"Here we go." Leonardo reached over and brought the glass of milk. Peaches jumped up, setting his front paws on Leo's knee. He looked down into the glass and began lipping it up, purring contently. "We have some girls around here now. You have to be nice to them." Leonardo shifted the cold glass in his hand. Peaches promptly nipped his thumb and went back to drinking. "Ow, alright, alright." Peaches purred. "Pushy little kitten." He smiled. 

_** Knock knock**_

Mike peeked over the edge of his comic book and tried to predicate who was behind his door. Definitely not Raph. He put the comic book down and sat up. 

"Yeah?" The door opened. Noriko looked in and smiled. 

"Hello." 

"Hey ...you can come in, ya know." She nodded and entered, closing the door behind her. "So... come to finish off the job." He smirked. 

"No, I didn't." She sat down on the edge of his bed as he moved his leg aside. "...Here." She handed him a glass vile of greenish goo. Jelly bits floated around inside. 

"What the?" He brought it up to eye level and swished it around. 

"It's for your ankle." He grinned. 

"Oh, a peace offering." She smiled. 

"Yeah." He pulled the cork out. 

"Well then." He smelled it. "Smells good. What're the magical ingredients?" He swirled it around again. Noriko reached out quickly and steadied his hand. She laughed a little nervously. 

"You should be careful. It stains terribly." 

"Oh, right." He brought it back to him and corked it. 

"I added some perfume so it doesn't smell as bad." 

"Why would it smell bad?" He asked, pursing his lips. 

"...You probably don't want to know." He grinned. 

"Oh really? ...Well, you know, I am a little thirsty..." He turned his head to the side and pretended to drink. "_Glug, glug, glug. Ahhhhh,_ really hits the spot." He rubbed his stomach. Noriko smiled. 

"It's pickled jellyfish brine and octopus lard." Mike froze. 

"_**GROSSSSSS! **Ewwwwww._ You want me to put this on my skin? _Bla-a-a-ha._" He shuddered and she giggled. "Nasty." He put the vile on his night stand away from his comic books. 

"It'll heal the rash." 

"Bla. I'd rather have an itchy ankle then put octopus lard on me." She smiled. 

"Well you should make up your mind before it spreads." She got off the bed and walked around to the door. "Then you might want to change your mind." Mike looked at the vile again. "Sayonara, Mikey." She bowed slightly before closing the door behind her. 

"...Aw man." 

_**

Next Day 

**_

Lita climbed down into the sewers beside the club. Her class had hardly finished, her hair was still wet. Not that she minded. It was almost June, everything was hot and humid. Leonardo was waiting at the bottom for her, leaning against the cement block wall, trying not to sweat. 

"See, I'm on time." She got to the bottom of the ladder. "Sorry to disappoint you." He checked to see that the cover was back in place. "...Well?" She turned to him. "Let's go." 

"Lita..." 

"Aw jeez. You're not going to go off on yesterday, are you?" 

"Lita, I can help you." 

"Here we go." 

"Lita-" 

"Look, Mr. Rogers." She poked his beak. "I don't give a damn about being stuck up in my room, and you playing social worker is just retarded. So how 'bout, 'You stop being retarded.' And that'll seem to solve all out problems." She threw her arms up. He narrowed his eyes. "Now let's go!" He waited a few minutes then pushed himself away from the wall. "Jeez." She shook her head and after followed him. 

Leonardo walked ahead of Lita, keeping ahead just enough she could follow him but not close enough to talk to her at regular volume. She seemed fine with that too. Splinter was right. Leonardo shifted his eyes over his shoulder to see Lita kicking her feet in the water. She's such a pain in the ass. He looked back ahead. 

Lita followed Leonardo into the lair, ruffling water out of her hair. Mike was playing cards with the other girls and Raphael. Donatello lay in the hammock reading. Master Splinter was in his chair watching over the youngsters, his hands folded over his lap. "What smells so good?" Lita asked, unzipping her jacket. Mike hid his face behind his cards. Noriko smiled slyly. "Four kings." Maddie laid his cards down. "Damn." Mike laid his cards down. The girls followed suit. "Ah- Royal flush." Raphael put his cards down. Maddie pouted. Raph grinned and collected the cards back up. "Lita. You have arrived." Splinter took up his cane and stood up. "Please join me in the dojo." He started off around the den and to the hall way in the back. Lita followed after him, leaving Leonardo to sit and sharpen his swords. 

"Leo, you in?" Raphael started dealing out the cards again. 

"_No_." He said bluntly. 

"_Kay_." Raph said just as bluntly. Mike smirked and picked his cards up again. "Deuces wild." Raph set the stack of cards back down. 

"Of all the slimy gross crab monsters on this planet you are apparently the hottest." Mike said, flipping his cards out. The others looked up at him. 

"What?" Erika laughed. Mike looked up startledly. 

"Oh, must be that octopus stuff." He grinned. "Raph's a fat stupid robot. See, there I go again." He shrugged. Raphael glared at him. 

"Michelangelo..." Noriko watched him bite his lip and grinned sheepishly. "Yeah, ya fat stupid liar." Raph thumbed his cards out, being wise not to punch him in mixed company. 

"Hee hee." Mike squinted. 

"Well. I guess I'm your new roomate." Maddie sat on her bed, watching Lita look over the room. 

"Yeah." She turned back around, checking out the dimensions of the quarters. It was bigger than her old room. Strange to think she would be living here soon. "I should warn you, I'm kind of an insomniac." 

"Hey me too, we can bore each other to sleep." Maddie smiled. Lita laughed. 

"Cool." She jumped on her bed and crossed her legs. 

"Mowr." They both looked down. A little calico kitten jumped up onto Lita's bed and trotted over to her. 

"Hello," Lita smiled and rubbed his head. "Who are you, little cutie?" 

"Prrrrrrrrrrrrr." He rubbed up against her knee. 

"That's Peaches I think." Lita picked up the little kitten. 

"What a sweetie. Are you hungry? Why don't we get him some food." Lita looked up at Maddie. 

"Yeah. I think Erika might have some stuff in her freezer she'd let us borrow." Maddie rolled off the bed. Lita cradled the kitten and got off the bed. "Come on." 

Erika and Noriko's room was definitely the more eccentric of the two. On Noriko's side there were plants and vines beginning to grow up the pipes and japaneese scrolls unrolled on the walls. Erika's side was hung with wind chimes, crystals, little trinkets and things that were hung up by string and wire. Donatello had hooked up Erika's mini fridge to the cities power lines so it ran. They had begun plastering it with pictures of flowers and clouds already. Erika directed them to the bowl of tuna fish in the refrigerator and smiled as the kitten began to scarf it up. 

"What're you makin'." Raphael looked into the kitchen. Michelangelo watched Maddie working on a cutting board, trying to immitate her. Leonardo had taken Lita back to her house. 

"Meatballs." Maddie dropped some parsley into the bowl. Raphael came into the kitchen to look over her shoulder. "If you're going to complain about my cooking you can just leave." 

"I like your cooking." He mumbled. She looked up to him as he moved around to her other side. 

"...Really?" 

"Yeah." 

"...oh." He nodded. "Kay..." She smiled slightly. He began to smile, then saw Mike looking at him. His face quickly fell and he stalked out of the kitchen. Mike giggled and tiptoed after him. Maddie glanced over her shoulder briefly, then back to the bowl of cold meat. 

"_Raphy and Maddie, sittin' in a tree! K-I-S-S-I-N-G!_" Mike chanted through the den. "_First comes love, then comes marriage, then comes- **OW!**_" Don laughed in the background. 

"So. Guess you're movin' out." Sandy crossed her arms, standing at the end of the hall. The light from her room silhouetted her lanky frame. Lita looked at her as she emmerged from the bathroom. She wished she had worn a long shirt and shorts to bed. 

"Yeah." She scratched her head, becoming aware she was standing at the top of the stairs. 

"Well Lita," Sandy walked up to her. Lita stepped back when she was approached. Sandy seemed insulted, her eyes flickered with anger. "_What_." 

_You pull her down by her arm and twist her elbow around like this. _

Cut it out, I don't need this stupid lesson. 

Lita, this could save your life. 

Jeez, I'm leaving in a few days. She's not going to try anything. 

You shouldn't take chances like that. 

I'll take a chance and say you're an idiot. 

You're being reckless. 

You're being a jerk! I can take care of myself! 

Lita- 

__ Sandy's eyes flared. Lita swallowed. "...You're afraid of me?" 

"Uh..." Harming others without provocation is unhonorable. Lita started to smile, thinking of Leonardo. 

"What's so funny." _You have disregarded my warning. Prepare to die._ Lita stifled a laugh, putting a hand over her mouth. The laughed got caught in her throat, backing up her nose. "I said! What's so funny,_ whore_!" Lita broke out laughing and ran off to her room, slamming the door shut. 

"_Hey Lita!_ Over here!" Maddie called, waving her arm. She stood outside the courthouse with Uncle Joey. Mike had dug out an old dress shirt lost in the bowels of his room for her to wear, since she had been wearing the same clothes for many days. She had spent most of the night tailoring it and washing out the soaked in grim. 

The turtles hung back by the alley, talking amungst themselves. Mr. Tagahasi stayed at the lair with Splinter. Therefore Noriko stayed with him. Erika stayed with her so she wouldn't be alone. Lita jogged over to Maddie on court house steps. She had came straight from the pool, wearing long skirt and a tank top over her bathing suit. 

"Hey Maddie." Lita chirped. Joey scurried down the steps. 

"Come on gals, we're already late." He waved his hands around impatiently. Lita looked over to the turtles, standing around in their trench coats and fedora hat. They all waved. Except for Leonardo, who stood with his arms crossed. Lita waved back, then made a face at Leonardo before running up the steps after Maddie and Joey. Leonardo uncrossed his arms upstartingly and stepped forward. 

To Lita, the proceedings were a blur. Accustomed to long waits on uncomfortable benches, she was surprised to be admitted immediately. There was relatively no questioning of Joeys credentials. And in her extensive understanding of family services court, she grasped that the adoption was otherwise as good as final. There was no trial period to speak of, no visits from SRS. 

To the state of New York she was as good as Joey Carlinos own daughter. That was fine with her. Ten minutes later they walked right out with a sheaf of papers. That was that. Sandy hadn't shown up. But she did see a couple suspicious characters in her opinion, hanging around in back. Maddie made her fingers smoke and the fidgited. It appeared to amuse her. 

"Yayyy." Maddie clapped. "Come on, let's go before the guys high tail it for some pizza." She nodded toward the door. Lita shrugged and followed the two out. 

Outside the turtles were standing about still, Mike stuffing two hot dogs into his mouth. Lita twisted away as Joey put his arm over her shoulders. "May I introduce, my new daughter, Lita Carlino." He grinned. Mike laughed out loud, then coughed on the hot dog. Lita took his arm off her. 

"I think I'll stick with Kaowaii. Thanks." 

"Kay-o-wha-ha?" Mike asked. Don snickered. 

"Shut up, Mike." 

"We didn't see Sandy go in, did she show up." Leonardo asked. 

"Nope." Lita shrugged. 

"I'm sorry." 

"why?" He scratched his head and looked off. Mike finished cramming the hotdogs in his mouth. 

"Let's go grab some pizza, or somethin', I'm starving." He said after he swallowed. Joey took his sport coat off and slung in over his good shoulder, following after Mike and Raph. Don and Maddie started talking, leaving Leonardo and Lita drifting around. 

Eventually Leonardo ended up back with Lita at the end. "So... did Sandy try anything." 

"Kinda." She shrugged. 

"Did you remember what I showed you." 

"Sorta." She started to smirk. He raised an eyebrow, mildly impressed. More at himself though. 

"So you took her down." 

"Not exactly." He turned to her. "So, she started getting creepy. Then I starting thinking of all the bonehead things you'd say..." She burst out laughing before she could finish. Leonardo furrowed his brow in agitation and looked forward. She put her hand on his shoulder, trying to regain her train of thought. He tensed his arm but she didn't stop laughing at him. 

"Grow up." He walked ahead of her to walk with Don and Maddie. 

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* 

"This is all your stuff?" Donatello asked, lifting up a suitcase that was set on Lita's bed. 

"_Ju-u-u-u-u-u-st_ about." Lita carefully poured her goldfish into a plastic bag of water. Don shrugged and looked around. There were tack holes from where her posters had been hung up and some holes in the shelves form where her books had been removed. Most of the things there were Sandy's... including the fish tank. Lita tied the plastic bag at the top and took some of the toys out of the bottom of the tank. "Let's see..." She looked around the room. "Oh yeah!" She brought her foot up and karate kicked the wall, breaking through the plaster. She brought her white ashy foot back and grinned sheepishly at Don. "I always wanted to do that." 

"Not bad." 

"Yeah? Bet I could kick your ass." She climbed over to the bed and opened the window. 

"Don't count on it." She stuck her tongue out at him. He chuckled and pushed her leg with the side of his foot. "Get goin'." 

"Yeah yeah." She held onto the plastic bag with her mouth and crawled out the window. 

"Should we leave the window open?" He asked, peering over at her before she climbed onto the terrace. Lita held onto the edge of the window sill with both hands and looked back up at him. She took the bag out of her mouth. 

"Yeah. They don't care." 

"Kay." Lita shifted the bag around in her hand, the water around the knot slipping. 

"Uh oh." She twisted her fingers around, trying to get a better grasp. Donatello climbed onto the window sill and looked down at her. 

"Let the bag go." 

"_No way!_ I'm not gunna kill my fishy!" Her fingers slipped. She tried to reach up to slid the bag onto the window sill, but it hung too far for her to push it up. Her fingers on the window sill slid farther. Donatello dropped the suitcase and she shrieked. "_Leonardo_!" Leonardo emerged from the shadows and crossed his arms. 

"Oh no, I'm not falling for that one again." Lita managed to throw the bag onto the window sill quickly before her fingers lost their grip. She screamed, Donatello reached down to grab her, just touching her finger tips as she fell. 

Leonardo jumped forward and caught her deftly before she hit the ground. Lita shrieked, her eyes shut tightly. She cracked an eye open and looked up at Leonardo. "...Did you ever hear of the boy who cried wolf." Her mouth hung open. 

"_You're such an insensitive jerk! Put me down!_" Donatello smirked and picked up the bagged fish, swimming around innocently. Leonardo set Lita down and was promptly swatted on the shoulder. "I coulda been _killed_ and you make a stupid joke!" Donatello started down the fence. 

"Your welcome." Leonardo said. 

"Oh, 'thank you.'" Donatello reached the garden. Lita took the bag from him. "Thanks Don." 

"Don't mention it. You ok?" 

"Yeah, I'm fine. Good thing _someone_ around here cares." She shot over her shoulder at Leonardo as they walked off. 

"What's that?" Noriko asked, looking in on Donatello's lab. Don sat at his desk before his computer. He looked over his shoulder. 

"Oh, hey... that's my computer." She came up and stood behind him. "Kind of a pet project actually." 

"Wow." She said in awe. He smiled. 

"Thanks." 

"What does it do?" 

"Well... anything I program." 

"Really?" 

"Yup. You can play games, go on the internet, tons of stuff." 

"Mmm... You know how to program it to do all that?" She cocked her head. 

"Yeah... I could teach you, you know." 

"Hmm? Why?" He turned half way to talk to her. 

"You know... just to know. There's a big boom in electronics. Just learning a bit here and there you might end up with a pretty sweet job later on. That kinda stuff." She laughed, making him turn the rest of the way. 

"What would I need a job for?" 

"Um... why exactly wouldn't you? What are you planning on doing when you grow up?" 

"You know. Find a husband, children, buy a house." Donatello looked mildly shocked. "...Why?" She cocked her head. Don cleared his throat, trying not to roll his eyes. 

"Noriko... have you ever heard of womens rights?" 

"Womens...rights." 

"Uh, yeah... here, I'll show you some stuff." He swivled his chair back around. 

"_Meowr_!" Leonardo cracked an eye. "**MOWR!**" Aw jeez. Four tiny feet lept upon his shell and walked up to his neck. Leonardo turned his head to the side and squinted his eyes in the darkness. Peaches trotted down and licked his face with a little sandpaper tongue. 

"Peaches, what are you doing." He yawned. Peaches cried out again and bared his nails into Leonardo's skin. "_Ow_, shit." 

"**Rowr!**" Peaches tromped over his shell. Leonardo groaned and rolled over, making him jump down to the emtpy part of the bed and marched around, his short tail held high. 

"Peaches..." Leonardo rubbed the sore spot on his shoulder. 

"_Meowr_!" Peaches jumped off the bed and trotted out of his room. Leonardo sighed and fell back onto his pillow. "**RREEEEEOOOOOOWWRRR!!!**" He grimaced and tightened his shoulders. 

"Damn it, _someone shut that cat up!_" He heard Raphael call. Leonardo moaned and rolled out of bed. Peaches was outside in the hall waiting. He reached down to pick him up when the kitten skittered away. Peaches ran down the hall and zipped up the special ramp Don and Mike had made for him leading up to the maintenance hall. Leonardo muttered to himself and climbed up the ladder. 

"**_Meeeeeoooooooowwrrr_!!**" His eyes adjusted to the light slowly, he narrowed his eyes to help and made a grab for the kitten. Peaches ducked his hands and lept victoriously into Maddie and Lita's room. Leonardo stopped short and looked back into their room. He saw a litle shadow tromp onto Litas' bed in the dark, and perch itself upon her back. 

_God damn it, Peaches. Anywhere but there._ "Me-_ew_." Peaches cooed sweetly. 

"_Peaches, come here, you're going to wake Lita_." Leonardo whispered , reaching out to for him. Peaches backed away from his hand. "_Peaches, come on_." He jogged around his hand and over Lita's back, popping away. "I don't have time for this." 

"**_REEEOOOOOWWWRRR_!!**" Leonardo grimaced. Lita groaned and turned over. Peaches walked over her as she turned and sat on her stomach. 

"Peaches," 

"**_MEEEOOOOWWRRR_!!**" Lita opened her eyes and looked around. Peaches trotted up to her and licked her face. 

"Hello, kitty." She smiled and stroked his back. Peaches purred and walked down to her stomach again. He flopped over to his side and looked up at Leonardo. 

"Rowr." Lita looked over at Leonardo. 

"What do _you_ want." Leonardo straightened his back. 

"That's my cat." Lita closed her eyes indignantly. 

"Do you insist on having him by your side every second of the day?" Leonardo narrowed his eyes. 

"_Mowr_!" Peaches turned over onto his back. 

"Can't see what a kitty like this would want to be with a _dork_ like you." 

"I was thinking the same thing." Leonardo muttered. 

"_Hey_." Lita sat up quickly. Peaches fell into her lap and looked up at her. 

"Clumsy too." Leonardo crossed his arms. 

"Hey, I have a crazy idea." Maddie sat up. "Why doesn't everyone go to sleep, eh?" 

"Fine with me." Leonardo turned to go. 

"**_REEOOOOOWWRRRR_!!**" Peaches bellowed. Leonardo grimaced, Maddie and Lita clapped their hands to their ears. "**_MEEOOOOWWRRR_!!**" Leonardo turned back. Peaches stopped and sat down in Lita's lap again. 

"Ow?" Lita opened her eyes. 

"That is one loud cat." Maddie took her hands away from her ears. 

"Here," Lita held Peaches out to him. "You take him then." Leonardo picked Peaches up from her outstretch hands. 

"Fine." He turned to leave again. 

"**_PRRRREEEEOOOWWRR_!!**" They all stopped again. "**GRREEEOOOWW!**" Leonardo turned back. Peaches sat back down in his arm again. 

"Well then..." Maddie leaned back on her elbows. 

"Aw _man_." Lita fell back on the bed. Peaches licked his paw placidly. 


	6. chapter 6

Untitled Document Nikira strolled through the black ashes of the burned pub with his nose held aside. The grim of coarse mortals was freed by the fire and hung in the air like vapor. There were only a few chared bottles of liquor left in the rubble. He pushed his foot through the ash and kicked it aside. _Hmmm_. He turned over a book with the side of his foot. The cover was black and peeled, like cracking chips. It had somehow survived the fire. 

_**Thwom… Thwom…**_

His crystal began to throb beneath his shirt. He took the chain and pulled it out. This crystal was actually four different quarters coined together. It had taken an eternity in itself to collect all the pieces. The red crystal quarter streamed itself with light. Nikira knelt down and picked up the book. He flipped open the front cover and thumbed through some of the pages, letting the crystal fall back on his chest. He lifted another few pages then stopped. 

There was a hiding notch in the book where hundreds of pages had been gouged out. Inside sat a gold ball peppered with tiny red crystals. There was ancient scripture written around the break line, a site that soothed his eyes. He took the ball out and let the book drop to the ground. The quartered crystal glowed. Nikira brought the ball up to eye level. 

"_Buka daya berua api-burung._ " He read the inscription. The golden ball began to glow, the inscription turning red. Nikira pressed his thumb against a certain plating on the shell. The casing split open with a quick flare, and fell in two pieces in the palm of his hand. 

Inside the golden ball was a red half crystal. It glowed like the red quarter of his crystal did. He smiled to himself pocketed the gem. 

Splinter caned his way into the den, retying his day robe around his failing hips. His students were still asleep. He was almost always the first one up, only occasionally beaten by Michelangelo and his hungering stomach. Splinter stopped outside the door to the kitchen and looked back. His oldest son was sprawled out in the easy chair with a blanket draped over his legs. Lita lie on the couch beneath an aphgan, Peaches curled up in the hollow of her knees. He smiled to himself and went back on his way. 

Michelangelo was the next to emmerege, taking a moment to poke fun at Leonardo before running off to start breakfast. Leonardo stretched his arms out and pushed the blanket back. Peaches woke up too and arched his back. He walked around in a circle contemplatively as Leonardo got up and stretched, then laid right back down again. Leonardo smirked and folded the blanket before wandering to the kitchen. Mike peeked out of the kitchen. 

"Hey Leo, watcha want for breakfast." He grinned. Leonardo raised an eyebrow. 

"You're cooking?" 

"Yup." 

"First time for everything." Mike laughed. 

"Hey Lita! What'ya want for breakfast?" Leonardo put his hand out to stop him from it. Mike raised a frying pan above his head and banged it with a wooden spoon. Lita shrieked and jumped up. Peaches jumped as well, draped in the aphgan. Mike raised an eyebrow. "Hey Lita, bunkin' it with Leo for the night." Mike nodded. Both turned beet red and glared at him. 

"_I didn't** want **to sleep down here! Why would I want to spend an unnessacary minute with _**Leonardo**." 

"Oh yeah, _you_'re just a peach." Leonardo crossed his arms. She made a face at him and hurried around to the stairs. "_You snore too._" He called after her. 

"_Do not!_" Leonardo rolled his eyes and lifted the blanket off Peaches. Mike laughed. Peaches lept off the couch and trotted into the kitchen to be fed. Leonardo shook his head with a look to the ladder and followed him. 

In the kitchen Mike had returned to the stove, eggs, leftovers, pots and pans laid over the counter. He took a coffee mug out and started heating the stove. Master Splinter sat at the kitchen table watching him bemusedly as Mike tried to scramble eggs. Yellow slop sloshed over the floor, Peaches jumped onto the counter and began licking the milk that had spilled over the counter …the stove flared up, the greased pan catching fire. 

Maddie wandered in just in time for Mikes frantic swearing and smearing of the pot holders into the pan. They promptly caught fire and he turned back to her. His face turned from dispair to desperation as he begged her to fix things. She took the apron and her place at the stove as Mike stood in the corner, hanging his head. "Sorry Maddie." Leonardo took the kitten away. "He was trying to cook." She waved her hand over the pan and nodded. The fire retreated back to the flame in the stove. "You sure can make mess." She sighed. 

**_Transformations_**

"Alright, what can you do _already_?" Donatello leaned back against one of the trees in the japaneese quarter of the arboretum. Noriko sat in the flowers running her fingers over the petals. She said she felt more at home there than anywhere. "Have you been able to transform yet?" 

"No." 

"Hmm." Donatello pushed himself away from the tree. "Let's see… Maddie transformed when she was in the fire." He scratched his chin. "She could already control fire …you can already control plants." He turned to her. "… So mabye you just need to be in the garden to transform." 

"…So… how do I." 

"Hmm?" He woke out of his trance. 

"Transform." 

"Oh, yes." He thought for a moment. "Well… Let me think… there's probably some key that activates it." He pulled himself onto a boulder. "Hmm… surrounded by fire…" 

"…Surrounded by nature." Noriko finished, lying back in the flowers contemplatively. Donatello took his bo out and tapped it against the boulder. "Shizen torimaku*." The plants began bolting off long flowering vines and shot towards Noriko. She spread her arms as the vines wrapped around her nimblely and lifted her into the air. Donatello looked around as the flowers and the trees began to grow more blossoms. Noriko was completely wound in vines to the point of unrecognizibility. Still the vines continued to wrap around her body like a hatch of boa contrictors. Donatello brought his knee up and gripped his bo defensively. Noriko was set upright and he stood, parrying his bo. The vines began unwinding, and grew back into the shrubs, and tree. Donatello brought his bo down to see. 

Completely green. The elemental wore slick green pants that came a little below her knees with a slit up each side, embroidered with an intricate maze of vines and flowers. A matching top was worn around her chest, and it's green hair had been pulled back into a messy roll, held in place by two chop sticks. Her eyes shimmered green, and a japaneese character printed on it's forehead in black. Her fingers became long and spindly, and her arms longer. It's finger nails were a venomous red, it's feet covered by protective leave. She had visibly shortened, by at least a foot or so, and had become smaller as well. A few shards of hair fell over her eyes. The elf shook it's head and sent them scattering back into place. 

"Well… that's a _start_." 

"See, I thought that kid was you." Mike pointed out Flash to Erika, standing back in the shadows of the skate park. "Well, not you you. But… _you_ know." Erika smiled. 

"Yes." 

"_Hey Erika! What're you doing back there?_" Flash called. Mike turned to her. 

"You know him?" 

"_He's my little brother._" She whispered._ Little brother? _Erika stood up. "Hi Jimmy!" Flash skated forward. Erika went out of the shadows so he wouldn't notice Mike. They hugged, Erika straightened his shirt. 

"I went by your place the other day and it was totally bare? Where'd you go?" 

"I, uh, moved." 

"Why the hell didn'tcha tell me?" 

"Don't swear." She said flatly. 

"Why didn't you tell me?" 

"I dunno… kinda busy." She ground her toe into the ground. Flash smirked. 

"Busy…? Whad'oo get a _boyfriend_." 

"No." 

"…get a _girlfriend_?" She laughed. 

"No." 

"Then why didncha say anything?" 

"Well I am now." 

"Oh now, after I drag you out of the bushes." He looked over her shoulder at the dark entry to the bike trail and caught site of Mike. "…Who's he?" Erika turned back. Mike scratched his leg with the side of his foot. 

"Um… that's a friend of mine." 

"Hey Flash, we're gunna go catch some lunch, you comin?" Flash turned back. 

"I'll catch up with ya!" 

"Whatever." After the others left Flash turned to Erika. 

"So who's he?" 

"ummm…" Flash turned to Mike. 

"You're not some sorta stalker are ya?" 

"No!" Mike defended. 

"Then why ya hidin' back there?" He stood on his tip toes trying to see over Erikas shoulder. Mike scratched his head again. Erika nodded and he emmerged out of the shadows. "_WOOOAAAH_." Flash exclaimed. "You're totally a turtle!" 

"Totally." 

"Dude, that is totally awesome!" Flash skated around him. "You gotta shell too?" 

"Yup …Name's Mike" 

"Flash." He looked at him curiously. "Duuuude. Man Erika. You actually have a _cool_ friend." He turned to Erika. 

"Hey." She put her hands on her hips. Flash laughed. 

"Just kiddin'. So… what's doin' with Erika, Mike?" Flash looked up at Mike. He laughed sheepishly and scratched his head. 

"She kinda took care of me after I bombed on that jump." He nodded to the large ramp in the skate park. 

"Dude, we saw some major skid marks around nobody claimed. Must have been a major bang." 

"Dude, majorly." 

"Dude." 

"Dude." 

"Dude." 

"Dude." 

"Dude." Mike nodded. 

"Oh dear." Erika sighed. 

"Yeah, so you tried the jump." 

"Yeah. Major air. Major bomb." 

"Dude, the trick is in the take off. You turn wrong and you'll lose it halfway off." 

"Dude, you gotta show me how ta do that jump." 

"_Come on, man!_" Flash started off to the jump. Mike beamed and jumped on his board. He stopped when he passed Erika. 

"Oh, right," He smiled impishly. "…_Dude_!" He called after Flash. He spun back around. "Can't jump today." 

"W'not?" 

"Gotta train yer sister." He skated back. 

"Train her to what?" 

"Um…" Mike scratched his head. "Nothing." Flash crossed his arms. 

"Jimmy, it's kind of a secret." 

"_Awww_… _come on Erika! You can tell** me**._" Mike and Erika exchanged looks. "Please? Come on dude, I totally won't tell _a soul!" _

"…You better not." Erika grumbled. 

"Alright, alright." Flash grinned. "Dish." 

"Ok, see a whole while ago there was this other dimension. It was totally awesome till it was taken over by these mondo bad guys. They were majorly bad, so the king of the old kingdom sent out his friends to train these elementals that could save the kingdom. So they went out and trained the elementals and stuff, livin' underground and whatever. So after awhile the king said for them to go out and get rid of the bag guys, so they left and there was this huge war that last for a really long time. Then they sent the elementals in to beat the big bad guys, and there was another fight. For some reason they left right after bombing the place. Then they sent the king and his friends and stuff to earth with them, but they'd be new people and wouldn't remember stuff. Sonow there's this major bad guy that was from the old kingdom that's here trying to take over this planet. So we're trying to stop them, and your sister is an elemental I'm s'posed to be retraining. See?" Flash stared at him. 

"…seriously." He turned to Erika. 

"It's true." 

"…man… that's….So Incredably Cool!!." He turned back to Mike. 

"Yeah well." Mike shrugged. 

"So whatcha gotta train her ta do?" Flash skated around. "Mabye I can help cha's." 

"She's s'posed ta be able ta do all this air stuff." Mike motioned with his fingers. 

"Hey cool." Flash beamed. "So let's see it." He skated around to Erika. 

"I don't know how to do anything." 

"You can say that again!" Flash laughed. 

"Hey!" Flash skated off before she could swat him. 

"If we could just figure out how to get you up in the air." Mike scratched his chin. Flash pivoted back. 

"Hey, why doesn't she just go off the jump? She'll have mabye 10 secs of total air if she be do it right." Mike looked at him. 

"She know how ta skate?" 

"I've been tryin' ta get her on, but she won't do it." He shrugged. 

"Excuse me, I'm not about to kill myself here, _ok_?" 

"Come on, Erika!" Flash pleaded. "I'll be at the top to make sure you do it right… and Mike can be down there to catch you! That way you won't go splat!" He beamed. She crossed her arms. 

"I don't know…" 

"Oh, come on Erika. I'll catch ya! We'll just try it once." Mike grinned hopefully. Erika furrowed her brow. 

"Oh man." 

"_Woohoo_!" Flash cheered. "_Come on, Erika!_" He took her hand and pulled her to the ramp. "Hey, Mike, we need yer board!" Mike tossed him his skateboard. Erika shrieked and ducked before it hit her in the head. "Got it." Flash caught it deftly and continued on to the ramp. "You're too jumpy." 

"I just don't want to die, that's all." 

"Pffff." He pulled her to the top of the ramp. Mike ran out to the landing zone, yellow airplane landing strips painted on the ground guided him straight below the ramp. Flash set the board down. "_Ready down there?!_" 

"**Ready!**" 

"You ready?" He turned to Erika. 

"No." 

"Great. Now you stand like this… sideways. And you always keep your feet apart, like this. Bend your knees a little… lean forward… little more… little less… there…now keep your arms out… like you're surfing… ok… that's good. Now, when you get down to the ramp you want to bare down when your going up the ramp, then lift up just before you reach the end, got it?" 

"Mm hmm." She moaned. 

"Don't worry. Mike's gunna catch you. Right Mike!" Mike gave him a thumbs up sign, though he hardly heard what was said. "Right _see_?" 

"Oh dear." 

"You're going to be fine. Ready?" She sighed. 

"I suppose." 

"Alright, here we go!" He gave her a push. Mike centered himself along the ramp and rolled his sleeves up. 

Erika shrieked to begin, then gained her balance. The sloped of the ramp seemed to become less and less, making her speed faster and faster. Oh my… She shifted her feet on the board. Mike looked up quickly, a childish terrified look in hs eyes. 

"Erika jump! _The wheel's not-_" His words were cut out by the sound of the bare wheel axle scraping against the plaster. Erika screamed as the skateboard began turning out of control, her hair whipping around her face. 

"**_ERIKA_!**" Flash screamed. The board hit the upturn of the ramp and flipped short. Erika was shot off the board and into the air. Mike ran forward to catch her. Oh no, I'm going to crack my head open and become spaghetti! Oh no, oh no, oh no! Mike! Jimmy! Somebody help me! She grimaced anticipating the fall. Flash watched in horror as his sister plummeted. She seemed to be going in slow motion, all other noise void. She was falling so she would hit the ground on her back, her hair fluttering around. She opened her eyes and took a deep breath… 

Erika halted in mid air. Glassy wings flittered behind her like humming birds. She turned completely white, from it's long hair to it's bare toes. It wore a short white dress, reaching mid thigh, that feathered out in thin wafer layers. It's eyes were a crystalline blue that sparkled with diamonds. 

Mike backed up a few steps. Flash's mouth hung open. It lowered itself gracefully and touched down with it's toes. She folded her wings behind and brought the balls of her feet down, a light breeze blowing it's hair over it's shoulder. 

Raphael checked the cars around the parkinglot one last time. "Ok… it's clear." He rejoined Maddie in the empty row of spaces by the corner and tried to ignore the way the little skirt was clinging to her. "Just try not to start a brush fire." 

"Ha ha." He smirked and took out the box of matches. 

"Ok, you've done this before right?" He asked again. 

"Since I was 9." 

"Kay." He knelt down and lite the crumpled newspaper. "you know what yer doin' right?" 

"Yes, alight?" He shrugged. 

"Right, 'lright." He threw the match in and stepped back. For fun he tossed a handful of the matches in after it. "Kay. Let's see your little 'transformation'." He pocketed the box for safekeeping. Maddie waved her hand over the fire, raising the flames even more. She took a deep breath, then touched her toe to the fire. The flames quickly shot up her leg, over her body, and down her other leg. She crossed her arms over her chest and bowed her head. Raphael turned his head aside as the fire poured out. He had to step back, his eye lids were starting to burn. 

When he turned back Maddie had reverted into the Pheonix. The broad wings hung not fully extended in the air at a relaxed catch. A soft scream echoed as she shook her head, ruffling the feather. Raphael stepped away from the radiating heat. "…not bad." 

"You have to move it." 

"I don't know _how_." Lita insisted. 

"Lita, you're not even trying." 

"I _am_ trying." Leonardo sighed. 

"Then try _again_." She groaned. They sat facing each other in the dojo, a pan of water placed before her. 3 hours more of this and she was planning on dumping it on his stubborn head "Just concentrate." 

"How can I concentrate when I have _president perfect _here telling me what to do." He narrowed his eyes. Lita sighed and put her hand over the pan. She could make the water ripple, and even pull out of the pan in a bell curve... but that was it. She thought it was pretty damn impressive. He didn't. 

"Just relax." 

"'just relax'." She immitated him. Leonardo rolled his eyes. Lita closed her eyes and loosened her hand over the pan of water. _Come on, will you just move so I can get out of here and not spend anymore time with stinky ol'Leonardo?_ She furrowed her brow. _Hey, when I say **move,** you better **move!** _The water swirled around in a whirl pool below her hand. She opened her eyes. The centriole began to grow upwards into a funnel. The water funneled up into her hand and contained itself in a sphere of around her fingers. …sweetness… She brought her other hand up and shifted the water into it. Back and forth, back and forth… she entertained herself. "…there…I wonder if I could do one of those water attacks now." She pondered. 

"Doubtfully." She glared at him. 

"You don't think I could do it?" 

"No." 

"_Ah_!" 

"That's good. But you should put it back before it falls again." 

"_Hey_, don't tell me what to do." She tilted her hands so the water curved back into the pan gently. 

"You don't seem to understand the concept here. I am your teacher. It's my _job_ to tell you what to do." 

"You're such jerk." 

"Well you're a bad student. So we're even." She glared at him. 


	7. chapter 7

Untitled Document

"Glub, glub… glub, glub…" 

"Mike what're you doing?" Erika stood in the doorway to Maddie and Lita's room. Mike was kneeling in front of Lita's fish bowl, staring at 'Goldy'. 

"Trying to speak fish… it doesn't seem to work." He furrowed his brow and crossed his arms. Erika laughed. "Hey, guess what." He turned to her. "I was asking Master Splinter about mabye havin' Flash come live with us." He grinned. 

"Really?" She cocked her head. 

"Yup. He said it'd be a good idea." 

"Oh, wow." Erika smiled. Mike tapped the fishbowl and stood up. 

"Where does Flash live anyway?" 

"Oh, he lives with one of his friend's families." 

"Oh… cool." Mike nodded. "We should go check it out with him later." 

"Yeah." Erika moved aside and Lita came into the room. 

"Hey guys." She sighed and flopped on her bed. 

"Hey, Lita McPita. How's the hula business goin'?" Mike asked. 

"Meh." She waved her hand around ambiguously. "Leonardo's being a big fat jerk." 

"Yeah, I've heard that one before." Mike sat down on the bed. 

"He's just such a dweeb to me. I've never seen him call _Noriko_ difficult."

"_Oh_, Lita Rita Bita," Mike laid back on the bed. "It's not that he doesn't _like_ you… it's just that he was kinda the last person to find his elemental… that and he was trailing someone else for awhile before he relized he was wrong…" Mike smirked to himself. "So he's just a little tweaked he didn't do everything exactly perfect, he likes you …really" 

"**Lita**," Lita turned to looked to the doorway. Leonardo chucked a water balloon at her and cut a slit in it with his sword in mid air, sending water spraying everywhere. Lita shrieked and put her hands out. The water funneled itself around her hands in streams and floated in mid air. "Good …show's you can apply knowledge." Leonardo sheathed his sword and walked off. Lita glared at Mike. 

"Heh heh…" 

**_2 Weeks Later _**

Raphael piled his things on his bed. It was the middle of the night, two candals lite in his room. If he turned on his light it would wake Mike up, and make him bumble into his room to pester him. He tossed a handful of tapes onto the bed and turned back to the messy shelf. Rock posters plastered his walls, some with scantily clad women. He had others that were more racey, but Master Splinter made him take them down. Raphael sensed someone behind him in the doorway. "Hey Maddie." He pushed the pile of magazines aside.

"_How'd you know it was me?_" He shrugged. 

"Ninja stuff." He grabbed the black plastic bag on his bed. 

"You're packing already? We're not leaving for the beach till tomorrow." 

"Yeah. But Mike has a way of poking through my stuff if it ain't packed." He cracked open the plastic bag. "What're you doing down here." 

"I came to get a glass of water, there was some light on under your door." 

"Oh." 

"Want some help?" 

"Why not." He shrugged. Maddie came around to the other side of the bed and started sorting things into distinguishable piles. 

"Leo and Lita have been fighting so much, I hope they can get some work done while we're there."

"That's the whole reason we're going ain't it."

"Mmm." She handed him a stack of comic books. 

"You know, we gotta old guitar… mabye ya should bring it." 

"Why."

"Pfff, I dunno. You sing and stuff." She laughed. 

"I'm not going to sing."

"Why. Yer not bad."

"I'm terrible."

"_I_ heard you sing." 

"_Shut up about that! _All I need is for Mike to get wind of that." He shrugged. 

"Just sayin'." She ran her fingers through her hair. He ruffled the bag around. "Guess that's everythin'."

"That's all your bringing?" 

"What're we, goin' ta the ozarks?" She smiled. 

"Right. Well, I'll let you get back to sleep now." 

"Yeah." He turned his head to the side, looking at the pretty linergie she had worn for him. She looked down at herself. 

"_Ah_!" She wrapped her arms around herself quickly, quite aware her undergarments were partly visible in the candal light. Raphael looked up with a wide grin on his face. She glared at him. "**Jerk**." She ran out. He chuckled to himself, hearing her barefoot steps padding outside to the kitchen. He dropped his bag on the floor and blew out the candals. 

"Jimmy, what are you looking for?" Erika looked in on her little brothers room. His room was terribly messy, clothes thrown everywhere. Flash was digging around under his bed.

"I borrowed some of Mike's comic books awhile ago and he's lookin 'for 'em."

"Jimmy." Erika groaned. 

"Wha?" He asked. 

"We're leaving, come on!" He grabbed the comics and jumped up. Erika turned and went back down the hall. Noriko slung her bag over her shoulder and walked with Erika down the hall. "I can't believe he's not ready." Erika sighed. Noriko smiled. 

"Uncle Joey, I'm not going to crash the car, ok?" 

"You're gunna drive that car like it was made 'a glass. Right?" Erika and Noriko went down the ladder. Maddie and her uncle stood in the den. She wore cut offs and a tank top with her hair pulled up, ready for a road trip. 

"Right."

"…ok." He dropped the keys to the bmw van into her hand. 

"Are you guys ready to PARTY?!" Mike jumped out of the lower hallway, dressed in a pair of large hawaiin print boxer shorts and holding a beach umbrella and towel. Mr. Tagahasi stood by the kitchen, giving him a stern look. Mike grinned sheepishly. "…responsibly?" He nodded. Mike bowed and scurried off. Flash put his back pack on and climbed down the ladder. 

"_Hey Maddie, can I ride shotgun with you? I can read the map!_" He offered. 

"Sure." Flash grinned. 

"_Come on guys, let's go_." Leonardo pounded on Raph's door, passing by into the den. "_Lita, if you're still asleep we're leaving without you_." He called up the ladder. Lita appeared above him. 

"Ok, for one thing, I'm already up, and another thing if I didn't go you'd have no one to _annoy_." He leaned on the rungs of the ladder. "If I had one wish it would be that." She glared at him.

"Ok guys," Maddie put her hand on Leonardo's shoulder. "We should get moving if we want to get there at daybreak." Lita turned around and climbed down the ladder. Leonardo pushed away from the ladder and went to the kitchen to say goodbye to Master Splinter. 

"Donatello, Raphael, we're waiting on you guys." 

"Mr. Tagahasi, thank you for feeding my fish while we're away." Mr. Tagahasi smiled. 

"It is my pleasure, Lita." Lita smiled. 

"Coming," Donatello called, stumbling out of his room. He shook a static paper off of his leg. "Forgot one of my books." 

"Ok, then where's Raph?" 

"Mm-mm." He shrugged. Maddie sighed and jogged down to his room. 

"Raphael…" She knocked on the door, one hand already opening it. Raphael was sprawled out in bed, fast asleep. His bag of stuff thrown in a corner. Maddie walked up to his bedside and picked up a pillow that had fallen on the ground. "Wake…_up_." She hit his stomach with the pillow. Raphael opened his eyes immediately and turned to her. He narrowed his eyes and pulled the blanket off him. Maddie yelped and took off out of the room, Raphael on her heels. He skidded to a stop in the den, seeing everyone up and awake. 

"Oh…right." He yawned and turned back. Maddie sighed and shook her head. Flash jumped around the den. 

"_Let's go!_" 

_5am Next Day _

"Where'd you find this place anyway?" Maddie asked, driving the hippie van through the shadowy trail. There were two paths through the forest for either tire. The turtles were in the back asleep still. Flash had gone back with them for the night with Erika, Noriko, and Lita. Donatello had moved up front to give directions to the secret beach.

"I was looking over some maps of the beach and found it. Nobody comes here since it's cut off by rock jetisons. looks like it's just boulders." The van rolled over a large rock, making everyone jump. "The road ends just up here, pull over." She nodded and drove the van to the brush. "_Come on, guys_." Don looked back. His brothers were stretched out in the cabin, Flash's head propped up on Raphael's chest, his legs draped over Leonardo. Erika had fallen asleep on Michelangelo's shoulder. Noriko and Lita leaned against each other back to back. Maddie turned the car off and got out. Leonardo was already awake and opened the back doors. He carefully lifted Flash's legs off him and back onto the shag carpet floor. Maddie met him around the back of the van, rubbing her neck. 

"The beach is about a half mile that way." Leonardo pointed off into the woods. It was almost pitch black out, light from the unrisen sun giving just enough light to see about 10 feet ahead.

"Is it that thick the whole way?" Maddie asked. 

"Just about." He stretched his arms out. Donatello closed his door and came around. He started taking the things out of the back of the van.

"Ouch." Maddie rubbed her leg in anticipation. Leonardo smiled. 

"I think if we go a little more south this time we'll get there faster." Donatello added. "And you should roll your socks up," He looked back. "Just in case you get bit."

"Bit?" 

"We'll be fine once we get to the beach."

"Oh god." 

"I think they'll still be asleep now. We'll be alright." Maddie's jaw hung open. 

"Quit scaring her Don." Leonardo said. 

"Woo **_hoo_**! Time for some surf 'n turf!" Mike jumped out of the van. "Who's ready to **party**!" He pulled himself ontop of the van. 

"What's still asleep?" Maddie asked. "Rats." Mike filled in, unstrapping the surf board from the roof. 

"_What_?"

"Rats. They're not as big as they sound though." Raphael crawled out of the back. 

"You can _hear_ them?" Mike chuckled, handing the board down to him. Flash jumped out of the back. 

"Sweetness! We should catch one!" 

"No." Erika corrected. Noriko followed her out and yawned. Flash pouted. Mike jumped into the back.

"Hey, if we do accidentally find a rat, we could trap it in this! Give it to Splinter." He brought a guitar out. 

"_Where'd you get that!_" Maddie demanded. 

"Raph said you could play. I grabbed it on the way out." 

"Raph." Maddie growled. 

"Hey, time ta go." He grabbed his bag and started off into the forest. Mike chuckled and set the guitar atop the van. 

"Lita_, get **up**!_" Leonardo leaned into the back of the van. Lita had falled over onto her side and curled up on the carpet. 

"Buzz off, I had to drive for 8 hours and this van has _no shocks_." She groaned.

"We have work to do, so get up."

"_Bite me._" She drew her knees up farther. Leonardo grabbed a bottle of water and squeezed it at her. Leonardo put the bottle down and looked at her. "Stupid jerk." The water flew back at him and hit him in the chest. He lost his balance and fell backwards. Mike laughed. Lita groaned and crawled out of the van. "God, it's not even light out."

"It's very dark where's you're going." Leonardo grumbled, wiping the water from him. 

"I say we take or odds with the rats." Maddie grabbed their bags and Lita's hand. 

"**_Ack_**!" Lita ran after her into the forest. 

Raphael stood back looking the beach over. The sand was nearly white, totally smooth without and dunes. The sun was just beginning to rise, just as Leonardo had projected; casting long shadows into the beach from the surf. The water sloshed along the shoreline freely, then retreated back into the ocean. Donatello busied himself setting up the camp, lying out the towels and setting up the big umbrella Mike had brought. Michelangelo had taken Flash, Erika, and Noriko off to the fishing ridge to catch dinner, even though they had brought a cooler of food. Leonardo had dragged Lita off the minute they had arrived to begin training. She called him a long list of names but had assented to being taken away from the party. Maddie stood at the shoreline watching the water. She had taken her sneakers off and pulled the elastics out of her hair. Raphael crossed his arms. Maddie turned back to look at him, the wind blowing her hair off and in in the air. "_Wanna go for a swim?_" She called up the beach. 

Raphael shrugged. Maddie laughed and pulled her shirt over her head. He raised an eyebrow at the red bikini top she wore. She unbuttoned her shorts let them drop around her ankles. With a kick she sent them to a pile with her shirt back onto the beach before walking out into the water. Raphael watched her dive under and swim out. He smirked and started untying his bandana. 

"_Ok! Throw the net over!_" Michelangelo called. There was a wide water crossing that went from a river subsidary into a cave series, hidden in brushery. Fish were known to swim through there and would be caught in the netting if they set it up for themh. The turtles had been using the trick ever since they had found the caves, that first time they had came and forgot to bring food. Erika wound the net up and threw one end over. Mike reached forward and caught it over the stream. "Got it."

"Is this gunna work?" Flash asked, crossing his arms. He wore sunglasses over his eyes even though they were standing in the woods. 

"Works _mah-va-lously._" Mike tied up the other end of the net. "We can check it again in a few hours and there'll be something in there." 

"Right. So, we goin' back to camp? I wanna go surfin'."

"Yeah, but check it out, this tunnel leads right back into the ocean. _So we can just go zippin' right down through!_" Mike beamed. 

"Is that _safe_?" Noriko asked, wringing her hair out. "_Course_! Done it tons of times." He finished the knot on the net. 

"_I'm in!_" Flash jumped over the net and into the water, he was immediately swallowed up by the mouth of the cave. "_WOOO HOOOOOO!_" His voice trailed off. "Jimmy!" Erika put her hand on the side of the cave and looked in. 

"C'mon Erika! It's great!" Mike jumped in and grabbed her hand on the way down. She shreiked and fell in the water. "_Hold on_!" He called as they shot down the twisting pitch-black tunnel. Light came in form the open end above them and reflected off the shimmering walls into the water. The tunnel sloped at an alarming angle, water sloshing around the walls. Erika screamed and held onto Michelangelo's neck. He smiled to himself and put his arm around her waist. A white light began to show at the end of the tunnel. The two shot out of the little river and into a free falling waterfall. Erika squeaked, holding onto Mike. "Take a breath." He offered. She gasped before they dropped into the ocean. Flash was already swimming towards Maddie and Raphael. Mike let Erika go so she could swim back to the surface. 

"_Ack_!" She burst to the surface and gasped for air. 

"_Weee_!" Mike came up next to her. "_That was fun!_" He turned to her and grinned. 

"Mike! I'm _soaked_!" She looked down at her clothes. Her skirt and shirt clung to her and the bikini she had bought the day earlier was very apparent beneath.

"Ah, you can dry it out. _Come on!_" He back swam towards the beach. Erika growled and swam after him. "Hey Raphy!" Mike called.

"Wussup?" Raphael smiled slyly. 

"…What?" 

"Heh. Check it out." He nodded out to the ocean. Mike followed his trail of vision, only to find Maddie. Well, that _was_ something to behold.

"What?"

"Hey Maddie!" She turned. "Check that out!" He pointed behind her. Maddie turned around again to where he had pointed. One of Raphael's bands was tied in the bottom knot of her bikini top. Michelangelo snickered. 

"_What_?" She turned back around. Raphael smirked to himself. Mike started laughing. His brother had finally gotten somewhere with Maddie. Or he had made it seem that way at least. Ha.. She put her hands on her hips. "_What_?" She insisted. Mike pointed to his shell. She looked over her shoulder and caught site of the stripe of red fabric hanging down her back. Donatello turned the radio down and looked up from the beach. Maddie yelped. "**Hey**!" She reached around her back and grasped the band. Raphael started to swim away towards the beach, confirming her evolving suspicions. "_Raphael! **You big jerk!**_" Maddie called, pulled the band off. The knot around the cinch of her top came undone, tied in with the band. She shrieked again, the tails of her bikini floating in the water next to her. She threw the band away and quickly tied them back together again. 


	8. chapter 8

Untitled Document

"Stop talking and concentrate." 

"_But this place is **so** quiet. It's bugging the **hell** out of me." _

"Tough shit. Be quiet or I'll push your face in the sand." Leonardo shot Lita a warning look. She sat next to him just in the shoreline, far away from where his brothers were staying. Lita grumbled to herself and set her chin on her arms, crossed over her knees. Leonardo closed his eyes and turned back to the ocean. The water began to bubble and spiraled up into a water levithan, a tall sea snake. Lita smirked as it twisted around and revealed its razor sharp teeth. She made it careen forward and stop a few feet in front of Leonardo's face, baring its teeth. 

"If you're trying to scare me it won't work." He said softly. Lita furrowed her brow and turned to him, his eyes still closed. The snake stuck its tongue out and melted into the ocean with a splash. "Concentrate and stop making water monsters." Lita set her chin back on her arms. 

"Orokashii jaaku*." He heard her mutter. 

"I didn't know you could speak japaneese." He turned to her. 

"I asked Noriko to teach me that." She grinned and turned to him. 

"Didn't I just say not to speak?" 

"_Ah-_" He put his hand on the back of her head and pushed it into the wet sand with a deft motion. Her words were muffled in the sand. She grabbed his wrist with both hands and pulled it away, mostly because he let her. Lita pulled herself back onto her knees and stood up, spitting out the sand. Sludgy sand covered her face and dripped from her chin, some sopped into her hair. Leonardo put a hand over his mouth, trying not to laugh. "_**You big jerk!**_" She wiped the sand from her face frantically. "_I can't believe what a blockhead you are!_" She scooped the sand away from her eyes. Leonardo cracked up laughing, putting his hand to his head. Lita glared at him. _"I hope you fall on your shell and can't get up you **mean nasty turtle!**_" She kicked sand at him. He grabbed her foot and pushed her back. Lita fell back on her butt in the sand, quite startled. This caused Leonardo to roar, falling back as well in the sand. She glared at him and pushed herself back to her feet. "_**Jerk.**_" She ran off into the ocean indignantly. Leonardo held his stomach, tears coming to his eyes. Lita dove into the waves and disapeared under the surface. 

Leonardo wiped the tears away, the laughter subsiding. "Oh man… you should've seen the look on your face…Hey Lita…" He called. "Come on, we still have work to do." He propted himself up on his elbows. "…Lita?" He looked out over the calm ocean. There were a few small waves that lapped up onto the shore, then shrunk away again. 

No sound… god damn it. 

"Come on, this isn't funny." He sat up. "Lita, I'm serious." He said, his voice stern. "…fine.' I'm sorry, _alright?_" …no response. He stood up, afraid of what Splinter might say if he didn't return with his Chiisai kirameki yuri "_I'll stop calling you bratty… **promise**." Man… _

…A few ripples broke to the surface. Leonardo crossed his arms. Lita rose up so she stood on the water. She crossed her arms and looked off, water cascading as elegantly as possible down her front. "…really?" She turned to him. 

"Yeah… can we just get back to work and stop messing around?" She looked off. "…guess." She pushed off with her foot and slid across the water to the beach. Leonardo sighed and went back to where they had been sitting. 

Donatello moved his marshmallow around over the soft fire. Mike was still grinning at him after her had confessed to having gone to find Noriko and succeeded in wandering into her trap and been nearly swallowed by a tree. The others sat around the fire Maddie had made, the moon high in the sky. Minus of course Leonardo and Lita. Flash had gone for one more late night surf before they all fell asleep. Raphael took his marshmallow out of the fire and blew out the flames on it. Erika sighed and laid back in the sand. Donatello had jerry rigged a clothes line to dry out her clothes by the bluffs. She had retrieved her wrap around skirt, hooking it up to hang off her hips. 

"You know what we need? A scary story." Michelangelo noted. 

"_Pfffff_, not one of _your_ stories." Raphael rolled his eyes. 

"_Hey!_" Rapahel smirked. 

"No offense, but '_the little zombie bunny, flop-flop, that had to eat brusell burgers'_ didn't quite cut it last time." 

Donatello chuckled, taking his marshmallow out of the fire. Michelangelo grumbled and pulled the charred pieces of the marshmallow off and ate them. "Ey Mads," He stuck the rest of the marshmallow in his mouth. "Why doncha get out the guitar?" Raphael smirked and turned to Maddie. Her entire face turned red, she looked at her knees. 

"_No way._" 

"Aw, come on Mads." Raphael prodded. 

"I'll go get it!" Mike jumped up. Maddie groaned and hid her face in her hands. 

"I didn't know you could play." Noriko turned to her. 

"Dear god." She muttered. Raphael smiled and leaned back on his elbows. 

"_Here we go!_" Michelangelo ran back and handed her the guitar. "Let's here some tunes." He grinned. Maddie took the guitar grudgingly. 

"Man…" She started tinkering with the cords. 

"What do you know?" Mike asked, sitting down again and wrapping his arms around his knees. 

"Why doncha play that song about the guy that lied." Maddie glared at Raphael. The fire flared up quickly. She turned back to the guitar and ran her fingers over the cords. Erika sat back up. 

"What guy?" Mike asked. Don looked up, poking the fire. Maddie sighed, silencing them all… 

Deep in my soul  
Love so strong  
It takes control.  


Now we both know  
The secrets bared  
The feelings shown  


Driven far apart  
I'll make a wish  
On a shooting star  


There will come a day.   
Somewhere far away  
In your arms I'll stay  
My only love.   


Even though you're gone  
love will still live on  
The feeling is so strong  
My only love  


There will come a day.   
Somewhere far away  
In your arms I'll stay  
My only love.   


You've reached the deepest part  
Of the secret in my heart  
I've known it from the start  
My only love  


There will come a day.   
Somewhere far away  
In your arms I'll stay  
My only love.   


My only love.   


*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* 

Leonardo sat in the shoreline, watching the waters' horizon. The moon cast a bright light on the black water. He sighed. "Hey Lita… why don't we head back to camp. There's nothing else we can do tonight." He looked over his shoulder. Lita was curled up in the sand fast asleep. He looked down then back out to the ocean. The tide washed up around his ankles softly. "……damn it......I've got to stop this…" He looked out at the ocean. "…It isn't right.... for me to think this way……" The surf sloshed back. 

A few ripples broke to the suface, off in the distance. Close enough for him to notice. Leonardo looked up. The bubbling began to rise up. An image rose up from the ocean, pouring up like Litas snake. But this, this was a woman. She held her arms out, water running down in sheets. She wanted him to come to her. She wanted to soothe his trepidition. Wanted to soothe him. Leonardo stood up. The water came in around his feet and slid him out onto the surface. He was standing on top of the water, gliding towards the woman at an improbable rate. She smiled and held her arms out to him. Leonardo came into her, she wrapped her arms around him tenderly, water dripped down his shell. She smiled. A slobbery nose brushed his beak. A brief notion to warning entered, not before she crushed her lips against his. He began to fight. First intending to wound her away, it soon became a struggle to escape a vice like hold. Water was filling his lungs, was he underwater now? 

The restraints eventually loosened, he wriggled free. Faces appeared and disapeared before him in the water as he dropped farther and farther to the ocean floor. _Shit!_ He reached back to grasp his sword. His arm was knocked away with a violent current. Water forced itself down his throat. Leonardo coughed, spirling down into drarkness. His lungs stung for air, water pressure closing in on him. He squinted up to the fading surface. It seemed like a dark cloth drifted over his eyes, his ankles being dragged down…… 

A hand grabbed onto his wrist. Leonardo opened his eyes slowly as he was pulled up again to the surface… 

_ *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*_

Flash yawned and rolled onto his side. He opened his eyes and smiled. Maddie was next to him, still asleep. She was still partially dressed in her suit, her hair spread out in the sand. He edged closer to her slyly. 

"Careful there, Romeo." He turned and looked down the beach. Raphael stood out on the beach watching him. He seemed to get pissed as he moved closer to Maddie. 

"_What?_" "……Girls are pretty cranky in the morning." He turned and went back down to the water. 

"Excuse me?" He turned back. Noriko folded up her towel. Raphael smirked and shrugged. 

"Here." Donatello took the towel from her and laid it on the others, stacked on the cooler. Michelangelo yawned and stretched his arms out. His head was still propped up on Erikas stomach, it took some work to get his attention. "Mike, get up." Mike sqinted agitatedly and looked over at Donatello. "Time ta pack up." 

"Yeah, yeah." Mike yawned and sat up. 

"Where's Leo and Lita?" Flash sat up as well. Michelangelo looked around. 

"Dunno." 

"…You think they…" Flash smirked. Donatello nearly laughed. 

"Better guess is Leo strangled her." He folded another one of the towels. "Uh.... someone better go check on them." 

Leonardo coughed and turned onto his side. He groaned and brought his hand up to his head. Sand wiped off over his face. He flicked the last of it off his hand and wiped his face with the side of his arm. _Jesus…_ He cracked an eye open. The sun brightened the white sand and warmed his skin. He could hear the gentle roar of the ocean behind him, and the smell of salty air. His head was propted up on something… something soft. He lifted his head up and looked back. What appeared to be Lita's jean shorts were wrapped in a blue tee shirt, folded into a neat square. He put his hand over it and looked back over his shoulder. 

Lita sat by the shoreline, her arms folded over her knees. Leonardo groaned under his breath as he pushed himself onto his knees. His head throbbed. Lita turned her head around and pulled herself to her feet. 

"Jeez, you always sleep this late?" She walked up to him. Leonardo brought himself up to stand. "…How do you feel." 

"I'm fine." 

"You're such a bad liar." 

"Here." He reached down and picked up the clothes. "Put your clothes back on." He tossed her the shirt and jeans. She grabbed them akwardly and looked down at her bathing suit. "Come on, we were supposed to be back last night." He brushed past her on his way down the beach. 

"Hey!" Lita called, jogging after him while pulling on her shorts. "What, you nearly die and suddenly your off to fight another day? What are you?" 

"A ninja." She rolled her eyes. 

"Well don't I get a 'thank you' or something? I _did_ save your life you know." She buttoned her shorts quickly, catching up with him. 

"Lita. It's your duty to save people. Don't expect a royal banquet everytime to do a good deed." He mumbled after a hesitant moment. 

"Aw, you're just pissed there's something hanging over your perfect little head." She pulled the shirt over her head and dusted off the sand. 

"Hardly." 

"S'cuse me?" 

"I'll just consider last night a a repayment." 

"On _what?_" He turned his head to her. "_Oh_… right." He nodded and turned back. "……So…who was that chick anyway?" 

"Who?" 

"The one that tried to drown you." 

"I don't know." 

"How'd you walk on water?" 

"I don't know." 

"How come you couldn't swim up on your own?" 

"I don't know." 

"Jeez, there's a lot you don't know." She chuckled. _There's a lot I'm going to smack you upside the head for_. Leonardo glanced over at her. Lita smiled to herself, walking along beside him. She ran her fingers through her hair. 

"…why'd you come out, anyway." 

"Pffffff. What did you expect me to do?… After a few minutes I figured you weren't coming back up." 

"Oh." 

"Plus the others would be mad if I lost you." He turned and glared at her. "Been thinking about getting a leash for you or something. _Hey guys!_" Lita called, waving, as they approached the other side of the beach. Michelangelo waved back enthusiastically. 

"Lita, I'd like it if you didn't tell the others about last night." 

"Why…" Lita smirked. "You don't want your prestine reptation to be tarnished?" 

"Can we just be mature about this." Lita scoffed. 

"What are you insinuating? I can be mature!" 

"Proove it." She glared at him. He had trapped her. 

"Hey guys!" Mike ran up to meet them. "What took ya?" 

"We were workin' late and decided just to stay instead of waking everyone up." Lita shrugged, not skipping a beat. "Whatever." Mike shrugged. "We're loadin' the van, hope ya got everything." He turned and jogged back. Leonardo looked down at Lita. 

"Should I be surprised at how easy you do that." 

"Live with it. By the way, you should probly take it easy for the next few days." 

"Why's that." 

"Ten to one you got the bends, which would explain any headache you have right now." 

"What are 'the bends'." He said tolerantly. 

"You get it from coming back to the surface too fast after being too far under water. Scuba divers get it. It's usually cramps and throwing up. Which for me is the reward for dragging your fat shell up the beach." She smiled. 

"Yeah. Like I believe that." 

"No, seriously. Your shell is really fat. I mean _god_." 

The dim lights from the parking lot made Don squint, faint from the lamp posts against the walls. Michelangelo didn't seem to mind. He skated around the empty lot with Flash, oblivious to any obstructions beneath them. It was the mid morning hours, they hadn't stopped for breakfast on their way back. Raphael pulled his bag over his shoulder and leaned against the van. Leonardo had gotten his things and waited in the shadows by the sewer grating, his shoulders hunched over. Erika helped Donatello with the ropes around the ski rack, trying to untie the masterful work Mike had done tying his surfboard to the roof. 

"Ugh. I can't believe I'm saying this. But as soon as we get home I'm going _straight to bed_." Lita yawned, getting an envious look from Leonardo from her freedom of movement. She twirled the key chain around on her finger absently as Donatello finished getting everything down. As soon as they started the drive back it was apparent how sore Leonardo had become. Although he tried to disguise it, the bumpy ride was terrible for him. At any sudden jolt he sucked in air and buckled down. For the first two miles it was fun, after that Lita felt terrible. She could never show it though. She was actually surprised that no one else seemed to notice. 

"Hey Mike! Let's go! I'm not going to carry this thing home." Don leaned the board against the van. Leonardo leaned down and pried the grating off. Don picked his bag and and joined him. 

"Hey Maddie! We're going." Erika called, jogging after him. Raphael adjusted his bag over his shoulder and looked into the back. Maddie slept on her back against the right wall, her hair spilled out over the lime green shag carpet. 

"Maddie, we're home." Raphael climbed into the van and crawled up to her. "Maddie…" He shook her shoulder. She grimaced slightly and turned her head to the wall. " Hey, come on." He shook her again. She turned her head back, but didn't stir. "Jeez." 

"Hey Raph, come on!" Donatello called. 

"_I'm comin'!_" Raphael looked out of the back, then turned back to Maddie. He put one hand between her and the wall and leaned over her. "Maddie, _wake up _already." He put his hand on her forehead to see if she had a fever or something. _…Then the princess was put under a magic spell, and couldn't be woken till the kiss of a handsome prince. Many years past before a noble prince rode up to the royal palace and freed the beautiful princess with a kiss. There was a grand celebration and they all lived happily ever after… _Splinters words drifted through his mind. That was one of the few american fairy tales he still remembered being told them when he was young. Raphael slid his hand from her forhead down around the back of her neck, her hair winding around his fingers. He leaned towards her, tilting his head slightly. He tipped her chin back… 

"Dude! My board got totally thrashed!" Mike picked his board up, examining the scratches the sand had made. Raphael sat up quickly, jerking his hand away. Maddie yelped and sat straight up, grasping the back of her neck. Mike looked in the van and laughed. "Hey Mads!" 

"Ow…" She rubbed her neck. "Raphael pulled my hair out." She grimaced. Raphael looked at the few long red hairs weaved around his fingers. 

"Whoops." 

"Way ta go!" Mike laughed sarcastically. 

"Yeah, thanks." Maddie muttered. Raphael cleared his throat. 

"Come on, we're goin'!" Mike called. Maddie grabbed her bag and crawled out of the van. 

"You're going to wake up someday with a pile of slugs on your face, Raphael." Maddie muttered as she passed him. 

"Ooo. I'm terrified." He went out after her. 

"And then we went surfing! And then we went to get the fish! And then we went down the river tunnel! And then Raphael hit me with the fish and it swam away! And then-" 

"Mike, will you shut up already?" Raphael sighed. Mike looked up briefly, kneeling in front of Master Splinter's chair. He made a face at his brother and turned back. 

"So then we made a fire, and there was all this seaweed on the beach and Noriko made a burger thing out of it and ate it and it was really weird! And now I'm going to get something to eat." Splinter smiled and nodded. Mike jumped up and ran off to the kitchen. 

"Leonardo-san. You do not look well." Splinter looked to his eldest son. Leonardo grimaced as he hung his coat up. "Your trip been more trying for you then your brothers?" 

"Yes, Master Splinter." 

"Why do I feel this has little to do with the training of Lita." 

"No, it's not." Splinter nodded. 

"You should rest, my son." Leonardo turned to him and bowed painfully. 

"Yes, Master Splinter." He passed by him to his room. 


	9. chapter 9

Untitled Document

**Some Weeks Later**

Michelangelo tiptoed down the maintenance hall with ninja stealth. Donatello trailing behind him. Master Splinter had ordered Leonardo to get up later and go to sleep earlier, so they hadn't bothered going to get him. Raphael either. He just wasn't a morning person. They didn't need big Raph bellowing them out of his room and waking everyone up. Flash snuck out of his room and met him them halfway. Mike grinned and handed him a handful of champagne streamers. Flash chuckled and hid them under his shirt. 

"Ready you guys?" Mike whispered. Flash beamed and nodded enthusiastically. 

"Let's go." Donatello nodded. Mike grinned and opened the door to Maddie and Lita's room slowly. 

"**_HAPPY BIRTHDAY MADDIE!_**" Mike came barging in, twirling around a metal noisemaker. Flash and Don followed him in, hooting and hollering, throwing streamers and metalic confetti around. "**_WOO WOO!_**" Mike jumped around. Maddie turned onto her stomach and held her pillow over the back of her head. Lita opened her eyes and watched the entertainment. "_You're **SEVENTEEEEEEN!** La La La La La, **SEVENTEEEEEEEEN!**_" Mike sang, dancing the can-can. He took a deep breath, preparing for another chant. Maddie held her hand out to him, bright red flares swirling around for him. Mike squeaked, stopping the noisemaker. It clanked a few times as it wound down. The other stopped in their tracks. "Uh… right." Mike took off out of the room, Donatello and Flash on his heels. A few fire balls bouced after them out and down to the lair. 

Leonardo smirked to himself as Maddie climbed down the ladder from the maintenince hall. It hadn't taken Michelangelo long to blab the news all over the sewers. Raphael seemed bemused at the situation. He sat in the den with a wry smile waiting for Maddie to come down. Michelangelo was in the kitchen, Donatello returned to his room to wrap the present he had bought the other day. Maddie waved vaguely, on her way to the kitchen. She avoided their looks at all costs. 

"Hey, where do you think _you're_ going?" Leonardo stood in her way. 

"… To make breakfast?" 

"Nope, not the birthday girl." He turned her around and lead her to the couch by her shoulders. She sat down reluctantly and looked up at him. 

"But I like making breakfast." He shrugged. 

"Talk to Mike." 

"_Yeah!_" Mike called from the kitchen. Maddie groaned. 

"Fine then. I'm going for a walk." She got back to her feet and went to the door. 

"What about breakfast?" Mike looked out of the kitchen, eggs and loose meat smeared on his face. 

"…I think I lost my appetite." 

"Well, considering it's your birthday! Mabye I should carry you or something." Raphael suggested. It was more for himself then for her though. 

"Mabye I should kick your _ass_ or something." 

"Oo-hoo-hoo." He held his palms out. Maddie closed the door behind her, her foot steps sloshing through the water of the sewers. Mike peeked out of the kitchen, wiping his hands on the dish rag. 

"So, what're we gunna do?" He whispered conspiritally. 

"Let's have a party." Donatello suggested, coming out of the hallway. 

"A party? Neat!" Flash slid down the ladder. 

"We still have those balloons from Aprils'." Leonardo added. 

"I think I saw a bunch of old stuff when we were moving. It should be down in the sewers." Raphael signaled to the door. 

"Well let's go! Wha, _GAH!_" Mike ran back into the kitchen to quell the fire that had flamed up on the stove. 

"I don't know if that's such a good idea." Joey flexed his sore elbow. 

"Why not." Raphael looked over the edge of couch. 

"Maddie's kinda touchy around birthdays." 

"Why, she keep turnin' 50?" Mike called from the kitchen. Raphael chuckled and turned back to the tv. Even Leonardo laughed, heading for the storage room down the sewers. 

Maddie watched her feet as she walked, the laces of her sneakers drifting behind in the grass. She held a double bouquet of tulips in both hands, bought at a stand downtown. The dirt path had been lost behind one of the grassy hills behind her, tall leafy trees sponging shadows over the ground. Maddie stopped in front of a pair of granite gravestones. 

_Lawrence Donald Carlino  
b- Febuary 12, 1957  
d- July 14, 1992  
We are better from knowing him.   
_

Victoria Ann Carlino  
b- January 30, 1963  
d- July 14, 1992  
We are better from knowing her. 

__ She knelt down and placed the flowers on the graves, against the head stones. Her hair blew off her shoulders gently. She closed her eyes and sunk her head down. 

"Donatello, keep your head up." Splinter sat in a deep set chair at the front end of the dojo. The chair had been a gift from his pupils, found in a junk yard and cleaned up for him. Donatello spun his bo around his arm and ducked Raphael's sai. Michelangelo lept at Donatello and missed, but not before knocking the bo from his hand. He rolled back to his feet, holding his prize proudly. Leonardo used the moment of distraction to swipe Mike's feet out from under him. 

"Bah!" He fell onto his shell with a thud. Raphael spun his sai around and attacked Leonardo. Splinter sat back and watched his students run through their spar with astonishing speed. It hadn't always been that way. They had all improved their skill since they were children. Michelangelo had lessened his goofing off and had been known to make it through a whole lesson without break dancing. Donatello's daydreaming had finally ceased. Raphael's temper had actually seemed to grow. And Leonardo had begun to exceed his sensei's expectations… but still was unmatched against the rest of the team together. _Alas_. Splinter rubbed his chin. Something caught his attention out of the corner of his eyes. He shifted his eyes to the door, catching site of Lita, peeking in to watch the practice. Raphael had found some face paints in the storage room, Mike had painted her face to look like a cat, long black whiskers, black eyes, and a pink nose. She watched the turtles admiringly, leaning her head against the doorframe. Splinter smiled to himself and turned back to his students. Michelangelo made a cross with his nunchuck chains, stopping Leonardo's katanas short. Splinter clapped twice, stopping the spar. 

"Begin warm down." The four nodded and started stretching. Splinter eased out of his chair. Lita disapeared down the hall. He smiled, leaning heavily on the cane as he went towards the door. 

In the kitchen Maddie had returned and was carefully working at the counter, oblivious to the streamers and balloons hung around the lair. Splinter eased himself into the chair silently and watched her. She turned around to him, a pile of chopped garlic in her hands. "Master Splinter, I didn't hear you come in." She smiled. 

"Thank you, Madeline." 

"Would you like some tea?" She brushed the garlic off her hands into a bowl. 

"Indeed I would. Thank you." Splinter smiled. Maddie rinsed her hands off and started the heat under the tin coffee pot. 

_~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~_

"Wow, that was _so cool!_" Lita declared, coming back into the dojo. Mike grinned proudly, finishing his kata. "You have _got_ to teach me some of that." 

"No." Leonardo answered quickly. Lita stopped for a moment, then looked at him. 

"Why not?" 

"You have your own training to complete." 

"I have time." 

"No." 

"I can do it!" 

"You have to concentrate on your work." 

"I can concentrate." 

"If you can it's not very evident to me." Leonardo sheathed his swords and walked out of the dojo past her. 

"Why do you do that! I just wanna have some fun, what's so bad about that!" She called after him. 

"We're not going to talk about this now." He said, right before he found himself being turned around. Lita glared up at him with an anger he hardly ever saw. 

"Oh yes we are!" He glared right back at her. "What the hell's your problem! You don't have to boss me around all the time, and you know it! You don't _own me_!" 

"Until you can fight, I do." He ripped his arm away and walked away. Just begining to realize he had sealed his own part in her life off with that last comment. _Idiot._

"_Bu-_" She turned as he passed her. Leonardo disapeared down the hallway, effectively ending the conversation. Lita crossed her arms and glared at the door. Michelangelo stuck his nunchucks behind the leather belt behind his shell. 

"Sorry Lita." Donatello offered, following after Leonardo. 

"yeah." Raphael left as well. Michelangelo snuck up to her. 

"I'll teach you, Lita." 

"Really?" Her face lite up. 

"Yeah, but real 'igcognito' you know." 

"_Great_." She squealed. "This is gunna be _so cool!_" Mike grinned. 

"**_Gah! _**_What do you think you're doing?!_" Mike declared, running into the kitchen. Maddie turned from the stove, stirring the simmering pot. 

"Cooking?" He went up and took her place. 

"You're not s'posed ta cook taday! _Remember? Shoo! Shoo!_" Mike ushered her out of the kitchen. He gave her one last push and closed the door. 

"Hey Mads." Raph called. "How's it hangin'." He looked up from 'pro wrestling'. Maddie sighed through her nose and sat down next to him. "Jeez. Don't be too extatic." He turned back to his show. "You even know how long it took to put all this crap up?" 

"I'm sorry. You guys are being really sweet. Thank you." She looked over her shoulder at the streamers creamed over the walls. Raph shrugged. 

"_Weeee!_" Donatello sprinkled confetti over Maddie from behind the couch. 

"Cut it out." She brushed it off her shoulder and shot him a look. Donatello continued to chuckle and sat down in futon. 

"Mike, will you leave the icing _alone already?_" Leonardo's stern voice emenated from the kitchen. Maddie turned to Donatello. 

"Icing?" He grinned sheepishly. "Please don't tell me you made a cake." She turned to Leonardo as he came out of the kitchen. 

"It was supposed to be a suprise." 

"Dear god." She leaned back against the couch. 

"We made one this morning but it blew up in the oven." Maddie closed her eyes and put her hand over her face. "The first one was chocolate, but we could only find plain in the store." He shrugged. 

"Yeah, and Mike keeps eating all the 'plain' icing." Donatello added. 

"_Do not!_" Mike came out of the kitchen, his finger in his mouth. Maddie stood up quickly, silencing the conversation. 

"_Will you guys knock it off!_" No one moved. "_I don't **want** a birthday cake! I don't **want** a birthday party! I don't **want confetti in my hair!**_" She ruffled her hair, sending the remaining sparkles fluttering to the ground. "_I **don't want** a birthday!_" Maddie turned and ran out of the lair, leaving the door swinging behind her… 

"…Well… I didn't think she'd be that upset we didn't get chocolate." 

Joey stirred his coffee slowly, sitting at the kitchen table. Splinter sat across from him, Mr. Tagahasi and Leonardo at either side. Leonardo looked up at Joey and tried to smile. Joey met his eyes, keeping his stone cold apperance. Leonardo looked down again. Joey sipped his coffee, Splinter and Tagahasi their tea. 

"You may be excused if you like, Leonardo." Splinter offered. 

"Thank you." Leonardo stood up and left. In the den Donatello and Erika were packing the decorations back up. Mike had made a turban out of the broken streamers, sitting on the couch sullenly. Leonardo sat on the arm of the couch and picked at the loose thread. 

"Um… when they're done in there you wanna get some cake?" Mike looked up. 

"Is that all you think about?" Donatello tucked in the folds of the box. 

"Wha?" Don picked up the box. 

"It's late, we should get to bed." Leonardo picked Peaches up as he jumped onto the couch. 

"Yeah. I'll just put this away." Don left the den with the box. 

"Come on, Mike." Leonardo went down the hall to their rooms. Mike gave one last forlorned look to the kitchen before following after. 

"Night Erika." He mumbled. 

"Good night, Mike." She watched him walk off then went up the ladder to her room. 

Noriko lie on her stomach in bed reading. "Konban wa, Erika." She looked up as Erika came in. 

"Hai." She sat down on the edge of her bed. "What are you reading?" Noriko closed the book and looked at the cover. 

"Amelia Earhart. Donatello recommended it." 

"Oh. Is it good?" 

"Very." She opened the book again. Erika nodded and slipped her shoes off. 

"… Hope Maddie's coming back." 

"…Me too." 

_**11:30**_

Maddie kicked her feet over the edge of the liquor store, sitting on the thick concrete rail around the roof top. It was nice and dark here. One could drop off and slip away if they wanted. Across from her were the ashy remains of her home, what was left after it was swept up and carried off. It was a dark night, a few stars would peek out from behind the clouds as they drifted along. Occasionally the sliver of a crescent moon would show itself as well. Maddie sighed and looked at her knees. She swung her legs over the edge of the building, kicking them lethargically against the brick. 

"Hey." Maddie jumped as someone sat down next to her in the darkness. 

"_Raphael._" She put her hand to her chest. "You scared me." How long had he been there? 

"Heh heh." Maddie turned back to the burnt lot across from them. 

"…How'd you find me." 

"You said ya used ta sit on your roof ta think… Figured you be 'round here somewhere." 

"Mmm." 

"So…" 

"I'm sorry about back there. I sort of over reacted." 

"I wouldn't say that." She turned to him. 

"Why not?" 

"Not that you over reacted, just about the 'sort of'." 

"Oh." She turned back. "Sorry." 

"Hey, don't worry 'bout it. I do it all the time." 

"mmm…" 

"…doesn't make ya feel better, does it." 

"Not really." 

"Right." Raphael scratched his head. 

"I really am sorry for yelling. That was totally out of line." 

"Guess so." He muttered. Maddie sighed. 

"I just don't like birthdays very much." 

"Yeah. That's what your uncle said." She turned to him. 

"What'd he tell you?" 

"Just ya didn't like yer birthday." 

"Oh." She turned back again. "yeah." 

"So… what's up with yer birthday and stuff… ya know… if ya wanna talk." 

"…It's sort of personal." 

"Hey, 's ok." He held his palms up. 

"_No, no_… I mean… I trust you and all… I… I just haven't talked about it for awhile." 

"Oh." Maddie sighed. "Start wherever..." 

"You know my parents died when I was 9." 

"Yeah." 

"Well… we were all driving home from a party my aunt Sherry had had. My father was driving… It was a pretty cloudy night… it was my birthday… so I was still up and awake." She looked at her knees, kicking her feet over the edge of the building. "I think there had been drinking that night… I can't remember… Anyway. We were coming back from New Hampshire, going back into Maine. I don't know if you've gone this way, but some of those roads end up rather winding… Ontop of that it was dark out… After that I don't have any memory. People say it's because of the concussion, wiped my memory clean for a few minutes before hand… The police report said that the car swerved off the embankment and through some forest before it hit a tree and stopped. There's still the skid marks on the road." 

"…That's terrible." 

"They sent my parents bodies to be buried here in New York in the family plot. I guess that's why I stay with Uncle Joey… I've never really had a birthday after that. So… I just didn't want you guys to try and be nice like you did and have me yell at you like I did. You guys are really sweet for throwing me a party though. So... thank you…" She turned to Raphael. He was already in close proximity and kissed her as she turned to him. Maddie opened her eyes in suprise and looked around. Raphael brought his hand up to the side of her neck, pulling her closer. She shifted her eyes to look at him, _his_ eyes closed… She waited a few moments then leaned into him, closing her eyes slowly. He brought his hand farther around the back of her neck. 

The clouds drifted away, bathing the rooftop in faint moonlight. Raphael drew his hand back and looked into her eyes. He was surprised that worked. It was another few moments before she opened her eyes, a bit surprised. He took her hand. "Better get back before yer curfew." 

"…Right." She said in a drift. Raphael stood up, Maddie getting beside him. They walked along the rooftop in relative silence and climbed down the fire escape. Raphael held the man hole cover open for Maddie and followed her down. He put the cover back in place and took her hand again. 


	10. chapter 10

Untitled Document

_**Later that week **_

_**** Knock-knock _

"Who is it?" 

"Jay-man, it's Flash." A series of locks jangled on the inside of the appartment door. 

"Flash dude! S'up!" The door opened, the preteen on the otherside grinning. 

"Hey dude." They exchanged a secret hand shake, bumping fists and whatnot. "How's it hangin'?" 

"Oh." Jay shrugged. "Same ol' same ol'. Been kinda blowin' since ya left." 

"Yeah." 

"How's yer place workin' out?" 

"Aw man, it's sweet. My sister has these three totally hot friends there. Major babe action." They both grinned. 

"Tubular. Dude, you gotta get me over there sometime." 

"Yeah, well… they're pretty strict about visitors." 

"Oh." 

"Yeah…so, just came to pick up some stuff left here." 

"Aw yeah, come on in." Jay stood back. Flash went into the appartment, closing the door with a quick of his foot. "Mom's in the kitchen." 

"Hey Mrs. Robinson!" Flash called. 

"Hello Jimmy!" The lilting feminine voice responded. 

"We're going up to my room." Jay called. 

"Alrighty!" Flash followed Jay through the appartment and up the stair to the balcony. Their room was the second on the right, right next to Jay's brothers room. In there were the two beds on either side of the room. Comic posters hung up and a few model starwars ships hanging from the ceiling. There were shelves coming out from the wall above both of the beds. Flash's bed had been stripped down to the matress, his side of the room deserted except for a few piles of stuff he didn't take. Jay jumped onto his own bed and sat down. 

"So whadja come for?" He asked. Flash started sifting through the loose piles, selecting certain comic books and skater magazines. 

"Eh, stuff I forgot." He through the pile on the bed and jumped onto the matress. 

"Dude, you still going to this school next year?" 

"Yeah, course man." 

"Oh. Cool." 

"Hey… Tim been through here?" Flash looked over his shoulder. 

"No way man, he's been in Cape Cod all month." 

"Dude… that gold ball's missing." He turned back and rifled through the trash on his shelves. 

"Really?" Jay came over to help look. "you sure you didn't take it with you?" 

"Sure man! I remember leaving it here so it wouldn't fall out of the box when we were moving." 

"Yer sure?" 

"Sure I'm sure, man! Dude, my sister gave that to me so it wouldn't get stolen or nothin'!" The two of them inched their way over the shelves, looking for the globe. "Damn!" 

"Uh oh." 

"Erika's gunna kill me!" Flash jumped onto the floor and started looking through the piles down there. 

"…Could you get another one?" 

"Yeah, for like a hundred bucks 're somethin'." 

"Crap." Flash set the pile of books down and sat back on his bed. "…What're you gunna do?" 

"…man… I can't tell 'er." 

"She'd be pissed?" 

"Probly not… she'd probly just be sad." 

"…oh." 

"…_damn._" 

"Mike, I don't think I can do anymore today." Erika laid down in the dojo, resting her head on Michelangelo's crossed legs. "Too weak." 

"Hey, s'ok. Good workout." He looked down into her crystal blue eyes. "You should rest." She nodded and closed her eyes. Michelangelo set his elbows on his knees and touched his fingertops together. Erika's hair was soft against his legs. "Hey Erika?" 

"Mmm?" 

"What's it like… you know… bein' elemental." 

"Mmm… I don't know… I can't really descibe it." 

"Well, what's it like doin' all that stuff." 

"…Don't know that either… you just have to kind of think about it… you know?" 

"Hmmm." 

"You should try it. It's very relaxing." 

"I couldn't do anything like that." 

"Just try it. I'll help you…" 

"Ok, hand me that." Donatello pointed to a computer conduit on his table. Noriko retrieved it and gave it to him. He took it and hunched back over the computer. Noriko sat on the otherside of the table to watch him. "See, when you put these sheets in you have to keep them lined up so they don't hit the others." 

"…People honestly _pay_ for this?" 

"Yup." He set the conduit in and sodered it in. "Give me one of the tCPi converters." 

"Noriko, doushite naninani kikun shoi?" Mr. Tagahasi stepped into the lab. Noriko looked over her shoulder to him. 

"Don-san's kyoudou ware hautsuu meeku densanki." Donatello looked up. He thought he heard his name. 

"Doushite?" 

"Kotonisuruto itsuka atashi could naru shokugyoo shoku to." Mr. Tagahasi furrowed his brow. 

"Noriko, nani kore danwa no shokugyoo." Noriko swallowed. "Nani anata sore to naku iu?" 

Donatello's eyes darted between the two. They had fallen back into using japanese, he couldn't understand. It made him nervous, he turned back to his computer parts and fiddled with them. 

"Ojiisan, doozo. Watashi hon no soozoo suru sono hyotto suru to watashi yatte miru made-" Grandfather turned and stormed out. "Ojiisan!" She called after him. 

"Um…" Donatello looked between her and the door. 

"He's angry… I should go talk to him." Noriko jumped up and ran after her gradfather. Donatello shook his head and went back to his computer. 

Peaches nibbled on Leonardo's toe, hugging his bared foot. Leonardo looked up from his book, lying on his bed. Peaches growled, wrestling his foot. 

"Peaches, are you hungry?" 

"_Rowr!_" 

"Want me to get you something to eat?" Peaches tried to scramble up his foot. "Alright, alright." Leonardo chuckled and scooped Peaches up, putting his book down. Peaches walked around on his arms then jumped up to perch on his shoulder. Leonardo closed his door behind him and walked down the hall. He looked in on the dojo out of habit and stopped cold. 

Michelangelo sat indian style on the floor, his eyes closed, touching fingertips. Erika levitated in mid-air, straight as a board, her hands set over her stomach. Leonardo watched them for a moment in amazement before walking away cautiously. Peaches mewed curiously. _Tell me about it_. He shook his head and passed by on the way to the kitchen. 

"You have to crease it along here… like this…" Leonardo pushed open the door to the kitchen. Maddie and Raphael stood at the counter, a set of bowls and mixers messy with drippy dough and a whitish mixture. Raphael watched Maddie's hands irritatedly. 

"What are you guys making?" Leonardo went to the refridgerator. 

"Raph's helping me make cannolli's." Maddie pinched together one of the tubes. Leonardo set a saucer of milk down for Peaches. The kitten jumped off his shoulder and hopped over to it. Leonardo rubbed Peaches' head and stood back up. 

"What's that then?" He looked at the pasty square of dough in front of Raphael. 

"Shut up." Raphael growled. 

"It just needs a little flour." Maddie sprinkled flour over it, soaking in the moistness. Raphael picked the dough back up and flopped it back in forth in his powdery hands. "You wanna help, Leo?" 

"No… looks like you guys can handle it… sort of." He added as he left. Raphael grumbled, flattening out the pastry. 

"You're doing fine for a beginner." He accidentally smeared the dough on his hand, then on the side of his beak. 

"Gah." He wiped it off his face. Maddie laughed. 

"Here, you mix the filling." She handed him the metal bowl and took the square of dough from him. Raphael took it grudgingly. "You're doing fine." She patted his shoulder. 

"This stuff's gunna turn out crappy 'cause I'm 'helping'." 

"It will not." 

"Mmm." Maddie looked over her shoulder to make sure Leonardo had closed the door completely. She kissed Raphael's cheek quickly. He looked over as she set the cannolli tubes on the baking sheet and smiled to himself. 

_**Hawaii**_

"May I help you sir?" Nikira turned to look at the lobbiest. She sat behind a tall desk, rectangular mail boxes lining the wall behind her. He pushed his glasses up on his nose and went to the desk. 

"I would like to see the time locked security file for Lita Kaowaii; New York ward number six ninety-eight O' five." 

"Sorry sir. Those files are confedential." Nikira sighed and tipped his sunglasses down, looking into her eyes. She gasped at the cutting blue of his eyes. 

"…Mabye you could make an exception…" 

"Uhhh.….." 

"…Get the file." She nodded and disapeared down a hallway behind her, taking a key chain off the hanger on the wall. Nikira leaned on the counter and turned back around, checking out the state welfare office. The beach was visible out the open windows, palm trees swaying in the breeze. He checked his watch and turned back to the desk. The girl came back with a tagged metal box. She set it on the counter and sat back down at her computer. Nikira flipped the latch off and opened the box. 

The box was nearly bare. Nearly. Taped to the inside of the lid was a boiler plate letter from the state. In the box was an unopened letter titled 'Lita' underneath a gold globe, blue crystals sodered into the plating. Nikira smiled and took it out. He knocked the lid shut again and pushed it back on the counter. 

"You can take it back now." He pocketed the crystal and left. The girl picked up the box and returned down the hallway. Mortals were so easy. 

**_Time Goes On_**

"This is so cool!" Lita declared. "I _love_ costume parties." 

"Yeah, April's station always holds one around this time. So we get in." Michelangelo grinned. The eight passed through the Hilton hotel corridors down to the entertaining hall. The turtles walked along undisguised. Maddie wore a red body suit with a red devil horns and a pointy tail, her long red hair trailing down her back. Lita had on a short white dress, puffy angel wings and a sparkly golden halo. Noriko had found an old cowgirl outfit, and somehow Michelangelo had talked Erika into going as a princess. Flash borrowed one of Michelangelo's masks and was an alien. He had been wearing it around the lair all week before hand "They have great food." Mike grinned. Donatello groaned. 

"You better not camp out in front of the caterers again." Leonardo warned. Erika giggled. 

The hall was bordered with tables, balloons anchored down to them. There was a wood tiled dance floor in the center next to the DJ table, and a balloon rainbow above them. The only lights were provided from moving strobe lights and a globe of colored lights. The party was already in full swing, most of the guests already there. Michelangelo pouted, a slow song was playing for the moment. Leonardo signaled to an empty table. Raphael waited for the others to pass by. He snaked his arm around Maddie's waist and drew her out onto the floor. She smiled as he took her into his arms. 

The remaining six all sat down at one of the tables in the back. Michelangelo immediately began upsetting the balloons and scarfing down the candy left sprinkled over the table. 

"Hey guys!" April arrived at the table. Michelangelo smirked and looked her over. She wore a tight shimmering green skirt with fins and a sea shell bra. Her hair was hidden under a long red wig, with a flowing purple flower tucked behind her ear. "I'm so glad you made it." She smiled. 

"Why thank you, little mermaid!" Mike declared. 

"Nice costume, April." Leonardo smiled. 

"Wow, you look _really_ good." Lita noted. 

"Thank you." April smiled. 

"_Really_ good." Flash drooled. Erika pulled his mask down, misaligning the eyeholes. April laughed. 

"Hey, where's Raph?" Donatello pointed out onto the dance floor. April smiled, seeing Raphael and Maddie with their arms around each other. "That's so sweet." April whispered. Leonardo chuckled. 

"Where's your date, Ariel?" Mike asked. 

"Oh," April looked over her shoulder. "He's around here somewhere." She laughed. "I better go find him. Ok, the bar's open, they card, I'll be back in a second. Bye guys." She disapeared back into the crowd. 

"Donatello, why aren't you dancing?" Erika laughed and sat down next to Donatello, Noriko on his other side. "Even _Leonardo's_ out there." 

"I'm trying to prove a hypothesis." 

"And what would that be." She picked up her glass of water. 

"That large parties like these always make things blow up. Too many raging emotions… Which is why I'm staying over here." 

"Blow up?" She smirked. He nodded. 

"I've gotta be a control." 

"Here ya go." 

"Thanks." Lita smiled, taking the little drink. "So you're one of the station technicians?" 

"Yeah," Sean swirled his glass around. He wore a long black cape, black pants and a bat man tee-shirt, a few gold chains around his neck. He had a short pony tail and a stubby goatee. His face was long and a bit gaunt. He had thin lips and thick wide glasses. He reminded her of Sandy. "I'm actually the supervising technician assistant." 

"Cool." She sipped her drink. 

"You know, you really _do_ look like an angel." Her cheeks reddened. "Oh, you're blushing. That's cute." 

"Cut it out." She laughed. 

"So." He took another drink of his beer. "You have a boyfriend?" 

"No." 

"That's suprising. A pretty girl like you?" Lita smiled and looked into her drink. 

"Hey Lita!" Michelangelo ran up. "There's a swing dance competition, you wanna dance?!" 

"I can't swing. I think Maddie can though." 

"Kay, later Lita Pita!" Mike ran off again. Sean watched him disaprovingly. 

"Who was that." 

"Oh," She looked after him. "That was Mike…He's my-uh… brother." 

"Oh. And who's Maddie." 

"Maddie? She's my bestest friends." Sean nodded. 

"So you can't swing dance?" 

"Nope." She smiled and took another drink. "Behind the loop." 

"I could teach you, if ya like?" 

"Really?" 

"Yeah, come on." He downed the rest of the beer and set it on the bar top. Lita set her drink down as well as he took her hand and lead her to a side hallway away from the party. 

Raphael leaned against the bar, mixing his drink around. Bigfoot stood next to him, watching the swing contest. Raphael turned around, his shell against the counter. 

"They're pretty good." Bigfoot lifted his mask up to take a drink. 

"Who." 

"The turtle and the devil." He pulled his mask back into place. 

" 'S my girlfriend." 

"No way." Raphael nodded. "Why aren'tcha out there, then." 

"Hell, man. I can't dance." He chuckled. "Hey Mads!" Raph called. Maddie smiled and blew him a kiss before Michelangelo spun her back. Raphael smiled and brought his drink up to his lips. He was thinking about finally announcing his intentions on Maddie to the others. It had taken him sometime to see that things could be cool with her. Now he was finally satisfied. 

"Damn… she's hot." 

"Yeah." 

"Hey, who's she dancing with?" Bigfoot turned and looked Raphael over. "Looks just like you." 

"My brother." 

"Ah." He turned back. "Look pretty good together." 

"Watch it." 

"Hey, man. Take it easy." Raphael grumbled. "I use'ta date a red head. Pretty hot." 

"Mm." 

"You 'n she ever…" Raphael chuckled. 

"No." He took another drink. 

"Pshh. Don't wait long. Ass like that don't come by too often. And it looks like you better keep an eye on that one" Bigfoot took his drink and went off into the crowd. Raphael chuckled and turned back to the bar. 

"_**WOOOOOO!!**_" 

" 

_Yeah baby!!" _

_ "Way to Go!_" The crowd cheered. Raphael turned back around. Michelangelo was kissing Maddie, pressingher close to him. The crowd cheering him on. Bigfoot caught Raphael's eye and shook his head. Raphael turned back. Maddie had pulled back from Michelangelo. She turned quickly to Raphael. He walked off quickly, disapearing into the crowd. 

"_Raphael! Wait!_" She ran off after him. Michelangelo grinned sheepishly and backed away towards the table. 

"Wow! Way ta go Mike!" Flash cut in front of him. "Raph's gunna kill you, but that was _great!_" 

"Heh heh, yeah… _great_." Mike laughed nervously. He put his hand on the back of Flashes neck and led him back to the table. "Hey," His voice broke. Donatello scratched his chin. Erika's mouth hung open. Noriko smiled sympathetically. Michelangelo sat down and hid his face in his hands. 

"Well." Leonardo sat down as well. 

"Mabye we should go." Flash offered, people giving them strange looks. 

"I'll get Maddie and Raph." Noriko got up. Leonardo cleared his throat. 

"I think Raphael will be back on his own time." 

"Ok." Noriko left. 

"Now where's Lita." Leonardo asked. Michelangelo perked up. 

"Oh, she was talking to some guy at the bar." Leonardo furrowed his brow. "That guy Sean, or something. April knows him." Leonardo looked over his shoulder to the bar. 

"They're not there." Mike shrugged. "I'll go find her." He sighed and pushed himself out of the chair. 

"Here, put your hand here." Sean took Lita's hand and put it right below his armpit. They stood in a long hallway on another branch of the hotel, bright and obnoxious with florescent lights from the ceiling. "And the other right here." He took her other hand and put it around the back of his neck. "Then like this." He put his hand on the small of her back and the other against the base of her spine, pulling her against him. "See?" He smiled, flashing a gold molar. 

"Um… is this swing dancing?" Lita asked as he began gyrating. 

"Yeah, just get it goin'." She looked at him cautiously. "Just relax." He coaxed. She began to pull away as he moved his hand farther up her back. "Come on." He chuckled. 

"Uh, yeah… mabye we should get back to the party." Lita suggested. His dancing seemed akward, she wanted him to stop. 

"Don't worry 'bout it. Just relax, baby." He brought his face down to her neck and kissed her. 

"Woah, _okay!_" She pushed him away. Sean pulled her closer, moving his other hand down lower. He moved his lips up her neck until she nearly shrieked. "**_He-_**" Sean pushed his lips over hers, forcing his tongue into her mouth. Lita squeaked, pushing her hands against his chest. He pushed her against the janitor closet door, fumbling with the knob. Lita grimaced, trying to pull away from him. 

The door finally opened and they both fell in with a thud. Lita groaned, her back pressed against a broom handle. Sean quickly closed the door again and came down over her, the closet shrowded in darkness. Lita tried to grab the broom behind her. Sean pinned her against the floor, trapping her arm underneath her. He chuckled, trying clumsily to unzip the back of her dress. 

"You know you like it-" Lita cringed as a container of paint fell from the shelves and dumped over her leg. She pushed back against Sean as his hands roved over her. 

"_Leave me_-" He pushed his mouth back over hers, forcing his tongue back down her throat. Lita gagged. She felt like she was going to throw up. Sean grasped her thigh, pulling it over his back. _Oh man… I don't want it to be like this… _A few tears came up to the rim of her eyes. 

Suddenly the door flew open. Sean was thrown off her and back into the hall. Lita grimaced at the sound of breaking bones. A weak cry whined out from Sean, then the sound of something heavy being dragged over the carpet. Leonardo reached into the closet and grabbed Lita's hand. She squeaked as he pulled her out of the tiny closet and onto her feet. The event was over in less than two minutes. 

"Come on." Lita stumbled behind him as he pulled her down the hall. She looked over her shoulder, a stray foot sticking out from a tall fern. Leonardo pulled her down another hallway and sat her down on one of the benches against the wall, bay windows running the wall behind her, looking outside to the night. Leonardo knelt infront of her, placing his hands on the bench on either side of her, as if she would tip over and knock her head on the bench too. 

The little wings had been bent out of shape and the back of her dress was unzipped partly. Cream colored paint dripped down her leg, and she had lost one of her little shoes. She looked into his eyes with fear, sitting timidly. "…Are you ok." She nodded slowly. Leonardo looked at her for a few more moments. He stood up quickly and began pacing the hallway. "What do you think you were doing? Do I have to tell you how much danger you were just putting yourself in?!" He went on the attack. "What do you think you were doing! Running off with a complete creep like that?!" He turned to her. "You could've been been seriously hurt, or _raped_." Lita's bottom lip began quivering. "This is definitely one of the most naïve, foolish, _stupid_ things you have _ever_ done!" 

Lita burst into tears. Leonardo stopped and looked at her astoundedly. She wailed, holding the edge of the bench. 

"_Woah! Hey, hold on! Don't cry!_" He knelt back down to her level, waving her hands in front of her. Tears poured down Lita's cheeks, the sprinklers went off in sympathy, which caused all the fire alarms to go off. Leonardo slapped his hand against his forehead. Screams of alarm sounded farther away in the complex. "Damn it." Leonardo whispered. "Come on." He took her hand and led her off down the hall. 

Lita stumbled into the ladies room, Leonardo closing the door behind them quietly. She wiped her eyes with the side of her arm, still sobbing. Leonardo sat her down on the counter by the sinks and put his hands on her shoulders. "_Shhhhhh…_" He whispered into her hair. She just wouldn't stop. _stupid girl_ Not quite knowing what he was doing he began pressing his lips against her head, stroking the back of her neck. I just felt kind of right. He felt her hand trail down his arm, landing back on the edge of the counter. "Snap out of it, Lita." He took her face in his hands and turned her to look at him. Lita opened her watery eyes, her cheeks streaked with tears. He waited expectantly, holding her shoulders. She wheezed for air, her breathing sporadic. 

"You big stupid jerk!" She jumped off the counter and pushed him away, upstarting. "I can't believe you yelled at me! You're such a jerk!" 

"Hey! I wasn't the one that ran off with a total wierdo!" Leonardo turned as she walked into the center of the room. 

"I can do what ever I want!" 

"You've got to be kidding me!" He nearly burst out laughing. 

"Hey!" 

"Who knows what would've happened if I hadn't found you!" 

"I had everything under control!" She protested. 

"Hah! That's why you broke out in tears." 

"You were yelling at me!" 

"I always yell at you!" 

"Louder then usual you big fat jerk!" 

"You deserve it! I can't _believe_ you went off and did something stupid like that! That's stupid,_ even for you!_" 

"I am _not _stupid!" 

"Yeah, you were just dropped on your head repeatedly as a child!" 

"_I was no-_" 

"_**Guys!**_" April came into the bathroom. They both stopped and turned to her. "What are you doing! There's a fire! Lita!… What happened!" Lita looked down at herself. She grinned sheepishly and zipped up the back of her dress. 

"There's no fire." Leonardo sighed. "Lita sent off the sprinklers with her crying." April cooed. 

"Lita, why were you crying?" Lita pointed to Leonardo. 

"He yelled at me." Leonardo groaned and smacked his hand against his forehead. "And what do you think you're doing in the ladies room! You should be in the big dumb turtle room!" Leonardo crossed his arms. 

"Yeah you're right. It is the ladies room. So why are _you_ here?" Lita opened her mouth in disbelief. 

"Oh dear." April shook her head. "Leo, go find the others. Lita, you stay here, let's get you cleaned up." She came over and took her arm. 

"Thanks Ape." Leonardo passed by them both and returned to the now soaking hallway. 

"_Raphael… **Raphael!**_" Maddie walked around the hotel rooftop. It was dark out and beginning to rain. She held her hand up to her eyes, sheilding the water dropletts. "_Can we just talk?!_" She turned around, trying to find a shadow or something to adress. "_It didn't mean anything!… **Raphael!**_" She called desperately. "_I didn't know what I was doing, you've got to believe me!_" She walked through one of the growing puddles, stumbling on her high heels. "_It didn't mean anything! **Please! **Raphael!_" 

"…Maddie." Noriko stood by the door back into the hotel with an umbrella. "…We're going home now." Maddie looked back around the roof. "…You're going to catch cold if you stay here any longer." 

"_…I'm sorry!… We'll talk later!_" She back up next to Noriko. 

"Come on." Noriko put her hand on Maddie's shoulder. She turned around and headed back down stairs, hanging her head. Noriko gave one last look across the roof. She thought she was a shadow move, but it was probably just the rain… 

__


	11. chapter 11

Untitled Document

_Erika's journal _

_It's been almost two months since I came here. A month for Jimmy. I'm sure wherever mom and dad are they're happy we've found such nice friends. Not long ago we didn't have many._

_  
I suppose the one that's had the most impact on us is Mike. Jimmy's formed an unusual attraction to him. Like two dragonflies that can't stay still. So they fly around together causing trouble. I might mind more. But I think Mike is a good person for Jimmy to be around. He's light hearted, but he has many more morals then the boys Jimmy used to play with. Play. That's the perfect word for it._

_  
To me, Mike's like a big brother now. I know he'll listen to about anything I'll say, and let me go places with him. Sometimes I see him looking at me the way the bad boys at the Y used to. But I know in him it's much less sinister. I think it's a little flattering. And besides, it's nice having a pair of safe arms to rest in sometimes._

_  
It's interesting seeing him with his brothers sometimes. Most of the time he's just a goof. With silly words. But sometimes he shows he's really just growing up. It can be sort of odd seeing him like that._

_  
Yesterday he kissed Maddie. No one knows quite why. I wonder if he does. As soon as he got home though he became the little kid again. Running off to his room to hid from Raph. There seems to be a secret memo amung the boys that says Maddie is Raphs, and no one elses. Anyone who touches his property is going to get a pounding. This seems to be what Mike is waiting for. He's been laying as low as possible. I've hardly seen him all day. _

_  
Raph still hasn't come home yet. We're all worried. Except for Leo and Don. They must know something we don't. I'm afraid he's hurt himself somewhere. No one will go look though. I might ask Mike to later if I catch him. I don't think he'll do it though. _

__

Wish us hope Journal,  
Erika 

"So if you're working on a cabled network, sometimes it says that it failed to load the public n:/s files. Which means it doesn't sign you into the network, so you can't acess your programs." 

"Can't you just reload the network cable?" 

"Well, yes. But that means taking everything attached to it off line and rebooting. Then you half to load everything again. Eventually you'd have to do that, but usually you can just reboot the single problem unit." 

"Oh." Donatello walked down the sidewalk with Noriko. Master Splinter had sent them out for supplies. The wish to make an escape from the harsh jives going on at home over came the wierd smells of china town today. Donatello thumbed through the bills in his pocket, checking over the change they had gotten back. 

**_BRAAAAAAW!!_**

"What was that?" Donatello turned to the parking lot the sound had come from. 

**_BRA-CAAAW!!_**

"Doesn't sound very friendly." Noriko wrapped her arms around herself. 

"Stay back, I'm gunna check it out." Donatello jogged off to the alley and disapeared into it. Noriko followed him part way, standing outside the alley and looking in. "Oooooh boy." Donatello froze in his tracks. There was a giant winged beast clomping around the parking lot. It had a long snout and frightful grey wings tht stretched out at least the size of two mini vans each. Donatello began to step backwards, remembering he had forgot his gear. The bird caught site of him and began stomping towards him, crushing a car under it's talon. Donatello fumbled around, eventually grabbing an metal cross iron hidden under some boards. "Ha!" He waved it around in warning. The bird looked at him bewildered, then looked back over it's wing. There was a man standing at the other end of the parking lot. Don immediately recognized him from the man at the arboretum the day he had picked up Noriko and her grandfather. He waved the bird onward, and it turned back. 

_**BRAAAAAAAW!!**_

It tilted its head as it screetched. Donatello cringed. The cross-iron was picked out of his hands and thrown across the parking lot with a _Wushhhhh. That can't be good. _The bird turned back and tried to smack Donatello with its beak, batting at him with it's huge wings. Donatello began ducking and diving out of the way, the bird bumbling around him. He could hear the ~Clap~ of its beak shutting right behind him. 

"Don-san!" Noriko ran into the parking lot. 

"Noriko! Get out of here!" Donatello called, the collar of his coat being torn by a talon. 

"Shizen Torimaku!" There was a crack of thunder and the sky clouded over. The bird looked around as the parkinglot was shrouded in darkness. There was another crack of thunder and the clouds disapeared. In Noriko's place was the elemental nature, already casting magic. 

_**Brawww?**_

The bird crowed. The man at the end of the parkinglot had disapeared. Donatello pushed himself back onto his feet as the bird began charging towards Noriko. 

"Tsuru enshuu!" The elf put it's hands up. The pavement began to crack and vines shot up from the ground beneath. The giant bird screetched as it was swiftly bound up, its talons hog tied. The vines began retracting, pulling the bird down. More bonds weaved out of the pavement cracks and held down its beak. The bird gurgled as a final few vines came out and helped hold it down. Donatello brushed himself off and jogged over. 

"_Now_ what are we going to do with it." He straightened his clawed coat. "…I wonder where it came from." He scratched his head. 

"Delphus." The short elf responded promptly. 

"Oh… yeah… so why's it here?" Donatello looked down at her. It shrugged. "Well. We need to do something with it." 

"Menseki kaesu." The elf put its hands together. The bird began to glow. Donatello turned to watch, scratching his head. There was another crack of lightening and the sky clouded over. 

With a burst of light the clouds were gone, so was the bird and the vines. All that was left were the long cracks in the pavement. Donatello crossed his arms. 

"…not bad." 

Raphael pushed open the doors of a smokey lounge and breathed in the cloudy air. Dark red tables were lerched over by brown derby drunks. The lights were dim and blues music was played from a stereo in the back. Raphael tipped his hat down and went up to the bar, saddling up on the stool. 

The aging waitress came up to him behind the bar, pulling the note pad from the band of her black short shorts. She wore a tight cap sleeved halter top, stained by coffee and cigarettes, heavy bags under her eyes and her silvery blond hair held up in a hair net. A lonely cigarette hung off her bottom lip, the filter colored by bright red lipstick. 

"Ye'." She looked at him blandly. 

"Red dog." She nodded absently and went off down the bar. Raphael hunkered down in his coat and chipped at the counter edge with his nail. Under the plastic wood tile were several layers of sanded plywood, he noted. The dark bottle of beer was set in front of him and the waitress left again. 

_*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*_

"You're sure that doesn't sting?" Maddie asked, dabbing on some of Noriko's salve onto the scraps on Donatello's shell. 

"No… feels kinda good actually." She smiled. Noriko knelt beside them both by the couch, tending to Donatello's foot bath. 

"Good." Maddie smiled and rubbed his shoulders. Donatello sighed and leaned back. 

"That's really good, Maddie. You should be a massuse or something." 

"It's just a back rub." 

"Very good… you've ever done this before?" 

"Mmm… yeah." She said memoratically. 

"What was it anyway?" Flash hopped onto the futon. 

"I don't know." Donatello closed his eyes. "Saw that guy again through." 

"Yeah, I saw him too." Noriko sat back on her legs. 

"I hope _I_ get to see some monsters." Flash grinned. 

"I have a feeling we'll be seeing more of them." Donatello opened his eyes. "We should tell the others." The door opened right as the sentence left his mouth. Raphael stood in the door way and stared at his brother. "Uh…_Raph_." 

"_Raphael_." Maddie sat up. "You're back!" His eyes shifted to her listlessly. "Are you ok? Where'd you go?" 

"Where've you been all week, Raph?" Donatello asked. Raphael walked past them to the kitchen, their heads turning as he past. Maddie pushed herself off the couch and hurried after him. 

"Raphael!" She closed the kitchen door behind her. Raphael leaned over into the refridgerator. "Where've you been? I was looking everywhere for you!" 

"…Was out." 

"Raphael, can we talk? I know your mad." 

"…duh." He pulled out left over pizza and went to the stove. 

"Raph, _please,_" She put her hand on his shoulder. He shook her off and continued with his pizza. Maddie stepped back and looked at him. She put her hand on his shoulder and craned her neck to put her face in front of his. He backed away from her, finally meeting her eyes. 

"Stay away from me." 

"Raph can't we talk?" 

"Go talk ta Mike." 

"I want to talk to _you_." 

"wanna talk ta _you_." He patronized her. Maddie bit her lower lip, leaning back against the stove. 

"Raph, please. Just let me explain." 

"You know who you can explain it to?" He went up to her, sticking his finger in her face. "…Them…" He pointed his other finger to the door. "Cause they're out there… and we're in here." 

"Raph?" 

"I don't want to hear it!" He threw his arms up. 

"God, your breath reeks." She put her hand over her mouth and cringed. He put his arms back down. 

"Least I found someone won't'll gimme _iced tea_." 

"Oh god you're drunk." 

"Yeah. So blow off…" Maddie sighed. 

"I'll make some coffee. Splinter'll be home soon." She went past him to start some water. 

"Hey," He grabbed her arm. "I don't want coffee. So lemme 'lone." 

"Raph-" 

"I don't want coffee and I don't want you." He threw her arm away. Maddie looked at him dismayed. He turned back around and left the kitchen. His head was so fuzzy. Why did Maddie have to be so bitchy all the time. Damn. He stumbled down the back hall to his room. 

"Hello, wittle cutie!" Lita knelt in front of her gold fish, sprinkling in food flakes. "You're a cute little fishy! Yes you are… _yes you are!_ …Uh oh…" She turned the bottle over in her hands. "We're outa fishy food." Goldie pecked at the flakes on the surface, ignoring her again. Lita set the bottle down and jogged out of her room. "Hey Mads! You wanna run out to the store?" She swung around into Erika and Noriko's room. 

Maddie sat against the little refridgerator, nursing a tub of ice cream. Tears ran down her face, staining her cheeks. 

"Maddie!" Lita ran over to her. "What's wrong?" She knelt beside her. Maddie choked back a sob, stirring the ice cream around. 

"Raph hates me." 

"Oh Maddie." Lita stroked her hair. "Raph doesn't hate you." Maddie nodded. 

"Yes he does." She sucked on the spoon. "He's never going to speak to me again." 

"Sure he is!" Maddie looked up at her, holding the spoon in her mouth. "Well… sometime." Maddie groaned. "Come on, you can't mope around here all day. Let's go out." 

"Mmmm." 

"I need to get some fish food. And you're out of ice cream." Lita looked into the ice cream tub. 

"…kay." 

"Come on." Lita grabbed her arm and hauled her to her feet. Maddie wiped her eyes with the side of her hand as Lita dragged her out of the room. 

They walked out of the sewers and up to the surface. Maddie's eyes started going down in puffiness. Lita continued to chatter on while they made there way to the supermarket. It seemed to be pulling her out of her funk… when they ran smack dab into the Traveler. Maddie gasped, and Lita shrieked. 

Neither could move as he reached up and pulled of a pair of sleek sunglasses off. He had cutting light grey eyes, tiny flakes of white slivered inside. Plus he was kind of hot. But he didn't have to say anything, Lita already trembled under his eyes. 

"H- wha… U- What are you doing here! What do you want?!" Maddie snapped out of it first. But he didn't turn to her. Instead he stared down at Lita, slowly reaching into his shirt. "Hey!" Maddie demanded his attention. He pulled out a strange necklace from beneath his shirt. Lita didn't move. She just looked into the crystal, her face a blank stare. "Lita… _Lita!_" Maddie shook her arm. The Traveler held the crystal out, letting it dance around on the hanging chain from his fingers. Maddie could make out 4 crystal quarters put together to make 1 sphere. Two crystals glowed brighter then the others. A blue and red crystal. The blue was beginning to outshine the reds, Lita's breath was slowing. The crystal finished it's spin slowly, then started around again in the other direction, untwisting, then twisting the chain around again. "_Lita! Snap out of it!_" Maddie shook her arm violently. The Travelers hand flicked and Maddie went flying into a fence. 

Lita opened her mouth, taking slow breaths, like she was trying to taste the air. Maddie slumped from the fence onto her knees, and nearly fell on her face. She wouldn't be much help after that. A fine mist began to drift out between Lita's lips, like a clowns gauzy hankerchief that was running slowly along an invisible thread, being blown by the wind, but never straying off course. The crystal on the chain began glowing brighter as the mist drew closer. Lita's eyes started dulling in color, as if the pigment was draining right out of them. 

The stream of mist was disrupted as Leonardo suddenly appeared between the two, and streamed back into Lita. His katana was held up in front of him. One edge just touching the edge of his beak, the other, sharper, edge nearly touching the tip of the Travelers nose. The crystal spun and flailed wildly with the commotion. The Travelers eyes dilated and thinned. 

"Sir Leonardo." He placed the necklace back beneath his shirt. 

"You shouldn't have come here." 

"Should I?" He flicked his fingers again, Lita collapsed to the ground. Leonardo glanced around, then back again, relizing the distraction. The Traveler grinned, having nearly faded into disapearence. Leonardo sneered and made a swip with his sword, and he was gone. 

_ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~_

Leonardo stroked the side of his cheek with his finger. The tiny hairs of his goatee ruffled up. His skin was a smooth shade of black, his hair now a distinguished white. He liked it that way. He looked all the more like his lordship. His face swirled around and streaked. Leonardo looked up to see the reservoir funneling down in the whirlpool. He knelt on the concrete walk to watch, not wanting to disturb his student. _She won't be your student much longer, old man._ He felt the anger rise then fall, suceeding to the sight of his nymph catching his eyes. 

He remember when he chose her. She was a little civilian toddler at the back then. The matrix ran the institute at the time, and he had to spirit her out in the night. There had been many nights since then they had to repeat the process to avoid capture. As always, she had been by his side. 

Lita had grown into an extraordinary power. It was rumored she could drain the ocean of Kerdad if she so wished. Academic of course. Now she could only spend her days siphoning water in and out of the reservoir. Her 300 birthday had just past, so she was still young in that respect. Despite any naivety, she was quickly becoming an important leader for the court. He was proud. She shared his rebelious spirit… and someday his bed. 

Leonardo rolled a small gem around between his fingers and flicked it into the water. Only a few moments later Nymph smiled and held the little crystal up. Leonardo smiled. 

"Well." The whirpool began to slow. Nymph rose back to his plane as the surface level returned. "You do not cease in making impressions." Leonardo glided out onto the water. Nymph smiled and tossed him the gem. "I might have ask you refrainment." "Making impression?" "It seems…. I am no longer adaquete. I am pleased by you with such ease" 

"This is wrong?" 

"True." He brushed the hair off her shoulder. "The council is wary of our days as of late. They have given you to another of the court?" Nymph turned her back on him and crossed her arms. 

"…I see." 

"Beloved." He came up behind her and put his hands on her shoulders. 

"You would free me so easily?" She closed her eyes. 

"You know I would not. You know that I mustn't quarrel with the kings tongue. Lest a hand upon both our backs" He rested his face in her long lusterous hair. "You won't forget what I've taught you?" 

"Oh Leonardo." She sighed. "…I don't want this…Why is it so hard for us." He pushed his lips against the side of her neck. 

"Someday… we'll be together." Leonardo turned her around to face him. "I promise." He pushed his lips against hers. "I promise …I'll give you my heart, and protect you as long as eternity endures." She looked up into his dark eyes. "Someday…" 

Leonardo woke quietly with the feeling of being watched. It was the middle of the night, his room was dark. Peaches lie on his stomach, purring in his sleep. Leonardo opened his eyes and looked up at the silouhette in the doorway. He rolled his eyes. 

"What do you want, Lita." 

"You're _awake?_" Leonardo propt himself up on his elbows. 

"Yes. What are you doing in my room." 

"How long have you been awake?" 

"None of your business, now what do you want before I kick you out." Lita sighed, as if saying _'I can't believe this.' _ "I need to talk to you." 

"And you couldn't wait till _morning?" _

"Jeez, don't you want to know what a need to talk to you about?!" Leonardo rolled his eyes. 

"Fine. What do you need to talk to me about." 

"Raph and Maddie." 

"_Hah_. That's a laugh." Peaches woke with a little jolt. "Let me guess… you want me to talk to Raph for Maddie." Lita put her hands on her hips. 

"It wasn't like you were my prime candidate, you know. It's not like I _want_ to ask for your help." 

"But you're here." Peaches got up and stretched his back. 

"Against all logic." Lita rolled her eyes. 

"It's cracks like those that make me _not_ want to help you." Leonardo countered. 

"No!" She ran over to his bedside and dropped to her knees, putting her hands on the edge of his matress. "Please please _please!_" Leonardo looked down at her in astonishment. Was she actually begging for his help? This is good. "You've got to talk to Raph, you're the only one he'll listen to!" 

"What are you talking about?" 

"Well, think about it. He's not talking to Maddie. He won't listen to me, or the other girls. He'd knaw off Mike's head if he came with a 100 yards, and Don… well… Don's a wuss." Leonardo furrowed his brow. "No offense I mean! Don's a great guy and I love him ta death, but he'd never talk to Raph. …Which leaves…" 

"Me." 

"Yeah. So could you please talk to Raph?" She asked, her eyes pleading. He held his tongue so he would say yes. 

"Why should I help _you_." 

"For god sakes, Leonardo. Did it ever occur to you that I'm not asking for myself?! Raph's gone nuts, Maddie's a mess. They're not going to talk it out. _Please_…" Leonardo looked down. "I'll do _anything_, I'll do your chores for a month, I won't kick you in the shins, I won't call you princess leianardo-" 

"I don't remember you calling me princess leianardo." 

"…whoops." 

"Alright. I'll talk to Raph… under _certain_ conditions. That is, you're going to be a studious and responsible student. You won't kick me, or be childish durring practice. And you're going to keep your room clean." 

"My room's _clean_." He gave her a look. "…pretty much. I can't do all that though." 

"No deal then." 

"Come on, I'm being practical here! I'm not going to make a promise I _know_ I won't keep." 

"Sorry." Lita groaned. 

"…_Fine_." She pushed herself back to her feet. "thanks anyway." She turned and left. Leonardo watched her go. 

"…wait." Lita stopped in the doorway and turned back. "…you'll be better durring practice?" She nodded vigerously. "…Okay then." 

"Yay!" She cheered. "Thank you so much!" 

"But stay out of my room in the future." He added quickly. 

"Fine by me!" Peaches lept off the end of the bed and into Lita's arms. "Night!" She chirped before running out of his room. Leonardo sighed and fell back on his pillow. 

_** Morning**_

"Anata fushin yoo anatagata no otoosan." 

"Ojiisan, doozoo! Watashi iru nai fushin yoo shoku to." Noriko sat on the foot of her grandfathers bed as he prepared tea. 

"Anata suru*" 

"Watashi shitte iru sore. Hon no hyotto suru to… watashi motsu hitotsu shokugyoo. Onajiyoo na hitotsu 'botonist*." 

"Hitotsu 'botonist'*" 

"Shosite watashi suru nai motsu made iru kekkon suru achira ni desu kara wakai*." 

"Hah!" 

"Ojiisan, doozoo wakaru? Watashi suru-nai ketsuboo iru hon no hoka no tsuma ya okaasan. Naze dekiru-nai watashi deru tamesu seken no ue ni watashi no jubin no*?" 

"Watashi shitte iru naze anate-iru kono hoohoo… Donatello… kare-iru ippai ni naru anata no atama konna an-to*." 

"Desu kara dono moshi kare*." 

"Tadashi-nai! Watashitachi-o daihyoo shite-nai. Heikin no-nai*." Grandfather turned on her sharply. 

"…um…" They both turned to the doorway. Donatello stood nervously. "I thought mabye you'd want to go to the arboretum for some practice." Noriko turned to her grandfather. 

"… Ojiisan*?" But he had turned away already. "To shoodaku dekiru moshi watashi deru ima?*" 

"…" 

"…Ojiisan*?" 

"Deru… dare aru watashi hankoo ni hoohoo no zenshin*." Noriko slid off the bed and joined Donatello. Grandfather sighed under his breath after they left and gave a sideways glance to the doorway. 

 Maddie wiped away the tears around her eye and sighed. She stood atop one of the dirty building across from her old home. Night had set in with a balmy breeze. She brushed her hair out of her face and sighed. 

"Maddie." She spun around. Raphael emmerged from the shadows. No telling how long he had been watching her again. 

"_Raphael_." Her eyes brightened. "What are you doing here?" 

"Thought you might want to… you know… talk." He shrugged. 

"I do." 

"…kay." 

"Look, Raph. I want you to know that that kiss with Mike didn't mean anything. It just… happened." 

"Just happened?" 

"Of course. It didn't mean _anything_." Why the hell did she have to do this anyway? She felt like such an idiot acting like this. Then again, she didn't want to break things off with Raph over something so stupid. Damn it Mike. Can't keep his lips to himself. 

"Anything." He repeated. 

"Raph …You're the only one I care about. Really. I- I would never do anything to hurt you." He looked at her. "You mean so much to me, Raph …Raph?" She could feel her heart tightening in caution. It seemed so easier to go on playing this kind of game, maybe let the entire relationship dwindle. But she was so afraid of losing him, now that he had found him. Dark clouds drifted about sky listlessly, occasionally shrouding the half moon. 

Raphael came up to Maddie and took her face in his hands. He leaned down and kissed the remaining tears off her cheeks. She whispered his name once before his lips reached hers. 

_ *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*_

Michelangelo rocked back and forth on his board, watching Flash zip off the end of the skate ramp. He grabbed the end of his board and did a rodeo twist before he landed back down again on the pavement. 

"Check that!" Flash grinned, skating around to see Michelangelo. 

"Sweetness." Mike nodded aproovingly. 

"Hey Erika! See that?" Flash looked to his sister, sitting on the sidelines of the skate park, beading a necklace. 

"Jimmy, you're going to kill yourself one of these days." She didn't look up. Flash cheered and skated off out of the way. 

"Your turn." He looked up at Mike. Mike grinned and skated around in a circle. 

"Look out below!" He pushed himself off the platform and onto the ramp. The trench coat flapped around him in the wind, as did the tails of his bandana. It looked almost comical. A giant turtle shooting down a skating ramp in a big brown trench coat. Michelangelo hit the end of the ramp and flew into the air. He immediately grabbed the end of his board and flipped around in the air. Flash whistled as he came back down onto the pavement. "Yeah, sweetness!" Mike breathed deeply. "Hey Erika! Catch that?" 

"You're all insane." She ruffled the beads gathered in her skirt. Mike laughed, wheeling around on his board. 

"We're gunna get you back on that board, you know." Erika smirked and nodded. "We are!" 

"Sure Mike." 

"Hey Mike, check this out." Flash skated over to a vine that had lurched out of the brush onto the pavement. "Look! It's moving!" He sat down on his haunches in front of it. The vine squirmed over the blacktop like a worm, heart shaped leaves unfurling slowly. 

"Jimmy! Get away from that!" Erika jumped up, beads scattering over the pavement. Mike stumbled a few steps before he broke into a run for Flash. But it was too late. The next second the vine jolted forward and wound itself around Flash's closest leg. He screamed as he was lifted up above the tree tops. "Jimmy!" Erika to where Mike had been lifted off, Mike right beside her. 

"AAAAAAAAAA!" He waved his arms around, his sunglasses came tumbled down and shattered on the ground. "HOLY MOTHER FUCK!!" 

"Hold on Flash!" Mike called. 

"Not a problem." 

"Try to find a ladder, I'll deal with the plant," Mike said to Erika, following the vine to the base of the plant. 

"Mike," He turned and looked over his shoulder, Erika had already transformed into the fairy and hovered beside Flash. 

"Oh. Right." She began tugging on the cords around Flashes ankle, Mike grabbed a rock and dropped to his knees, pounding on the vine. Nothing drastic happened from the efforts however, the plant only tightened its hold around Flash. "Damn it…" Mike muttered. "Why-won't-you-die?" He slammed the chunk of pavement into the vine's girth. Above him Flash continued to struggle, a stream of pocket change and pieces of trident falling to the ground. The fairy simply couldn't get a hold on the vine, her hands too small to grasp around the ever widening plant. Mike raised the rock up again. 

On the other side of the vine two shoes suddenly appeared. Two shined black shoes, beneath black trousers, neatly ironed and tailored. Mike looked up slowly. Long white hair, tied back in a pony tail, and a deep purple shirt. Black mirrored glasses shaded his eyes. He looked down at Michelangelo, his hands held behind his back. Mike looked into the sunglasses, looking for some sign of his eyes behind the glass. Now he couldn't look away, it was like looking into a flame, and he couldn't pull his eyes back. 

The man reached around to the hilt of his belt and began to pull a long curved sword from thin air. He brought it all the way out and levied it horizontally at chest level. The side of his mouth perked up. He slowly began changing the hand hold he had on the hilt, ready for a sideways swipe. 

Michelangelo slammed the rock down, missing the vine, but hitting his shoe. There was a brief resistance of the matter, then it simply disapeared. The man was gone the next second, and the vine turned brown. Flash screamed on his way back down to the pavement, then all was black. 


	12. chapter 12

Untitled Document Leonardo stood outside the door to Flashes room, watching Raphael glare almost fiercly inside. Inside the girls all fawned over Flash, petting his hair and fluffing his pillows. His leg had been put in a cast, and his head wrapped up from the concussion. The doctor had ordered bed rest for a week, then he was on crutches. That's what happens to boys who jump off swing sets. Flash pouted between the four girls, making them all coo to him. Raphael scoffed and stalked off, only to boomerang right back. 

"Why don't you get some rest, Jimmy." Erika pushed his hair out off his eyes. 

"Oh kay." He said weakly. The girls all cooed. Four quick kisses pecked his cheeks and they all filed out. 

"Poor Flash." Lita sighed, walking beside Noriko. 

"He's such a little trooper." Noriko added. Maddie closed the door quietly and turned around. 

"Hope we're not late for the movie." She laughed and took Raphaels hand. He grumbled, tailing after her. "_Come on_," She pulled him closer and whispered into his ear. He smirked and followed beside her. Leonardo rolled his eyes, watching them walk off together. Why any man would crawl after a girl like that elluded him. Then again, later the next morning after they returned, he would catch an anxious Maddie adjusting a scarf around her neck; to hide a promenent hickey from her Uncle. 

Nikira glowered into a broken mirror. It was the nearing anniversary of the battle of the Kerda. Look what he had to show for it. A long scar had formed permenantly down his eye ridge, over his eyelid, and ending on his cheek. _Cursed turtle_. He sneered and pivoted away from the mirror. _Damnedest coucil, thorn in my side_. He walked up towards the stone pedestal where the ancient crystals sat. They were already glowing in response to his thoughts. They weren't happy either. _No, I** do not** need Tatakai… no, I'm not being repugnant. _He frowned. _That blighted turtle. He will pay… _

Michelangelo held his breath, sneaking into Leonardo's room. It was a dangerous mission, but somebody had to do it. Well. No one _had_ to do it. He just wanted to. 

Leonardo slept on his stomach, the blanket pulled over his head. Michelangelo cackled silently, tiptoing up behind him. This was so good. He fought back a grin, taking out the giant super soaker. Standing over the bed side he aimed it right at his brother. 

"Hey Leeeeeeeeooooo." He whispered. No response. "Leeeeeeeooooo, wake uuuuu-uuuuuup." He nudged him with the barrel of the gun. "I have a present for youuuuuu… BAH!" The next second he was trapped in a full neilson, his arms hanging helpless in space, and therefore the gun. 

"If it's a cold shower, thanks, but I've already had one." Leonardo said into his ear. 

"You set me up?!" Michelangelo wheezed for breath from the uncomfortable angle he was trapped back to. 

"You try something like this every year, Mike. I'd be an idiot not to expect it coming." Mike waved his arms around in a vain attempt to be freed. 

"Yeah, well did you expect_ this! Now Raph!_" Leonardo looked at the doorway. "…Raph?" Mike looked at the door as well, his smile fading. His spirtis diminished as his backup failed to arrive. 

At that moment Raphael was very much awake. In bed, but awake. Maddie lie over his matress, on leg hanging over the edge. Raphael laid over her almost, one hand wandering up her thigh, under her short red skirt. The other around the back of her shoulder, idely pushing down the strap of her tank top and bra. Her one arm was drapped around his neck, pulling him closer while they kissed, stroking the back of his neck. She ran her fingers over the cords that popped up, moaning softly as he slipped his tongue in her mouth. Raphael cheered to himself, having successfully reached the fabric of her panties. Maddie curled her arm farther around his thick neck, encouraging him further when he suddenly stopped. 

Raphael looked up, aware of being under close scrutiny. He praid to god it wasn't Splinter. Oh _god_ let it not be Splinter. But it wasn't. He broke his face away from Maddie, Joey's eyes burned right through him. Maddie turned her head to the door, her face immediately turning red. 

"… get off 'er." Joey ordered. Raph took his hand out from her skirt, and sat back on his knees, raising his hands up. Joey glared at him for another moment. Then looked down at Maddie. She laughed nervously and sat up, running her fingers through her hair. 

"Um… I'll go make breakfast." She got up and left the narrow room, passing by Joey quickly. He immediately turned to glare at Raphael again. 

"…nice shade a' lipstick." He commented. Raphael touched his finger to his lip, when he took it back it was smudged with Maddie's bright red lipstick, that apparently traveled over his face, and down his neck. 

"Thanks." 

"… I swea' ta god… You try anything… even _think_ of tryin' anything… I'll cut off ya dick and nail it to yer door." Raphael's eyes widened. "Got me kiddo?" He nodded slowly. "Alright then." 

"Raph!" Michelangelo called down the hall. "You traitor!" He added as he was dragged down the hall by Leonardo in a head lock. "I'm gunna get you for this!" 

"Not before a nice dunk in the sink you won't." Leonardo dragged him from eye shot of the doorway. Michelangelo yelped. Raphael tried to stifle a smile, Joey turned back to him 

"Oh yeah… happy birthday." 

Noriko straightened the creases of wrapping paper, humming a tune she had stuck in her head earlier. She sat on the floor against the foot of her bed, surrounded in a clutter of wrapping paper and tape. Lita sat across from her, tying a blue ribbon around an already wrapped box. She had been the most reluctant to agree to the idea of giving presents to only their own advisor. But the other girls had thought it was a great idea, so she inimically acceded. Not before sighing and rolling her eyes. 

"Man, I can't do this." Lita fumed and threw the ribbons down. Noriko smiled and leaned over, trying the ribbons in a neat bow. "You wanna trade turtles?" Noriko laughed, sitting back on her knees. "Guess not." She mumbled. 

"Oh Lita. Why do you malevolent to Leo? He's such a nice guy." 

"God, He's so full of himself! I can't stand him." 

"Is he really that bad?" 

"Yes." Noriko taped the wrapping paper in place. 

"You two are so perfect." Lita shuddered. 

"I don't want to think about that." Noriko shrugged. 

"That's what Don says." 

"Well Don can kiss my be-hind." 

"Oh Lita." Noriko sighed. 

"How could you even say that? I thought we were friends." 

"Fine. Forget I said anything." 

"Fine I will." 

"So what did you buy him." Lita sighed. 

"Oh, some stone garden thingie. Splinter has one." Noriko smiled. 

"I bet he'll like it." 

"Better. Put me out 30 bucks." Lita turned the wrapped box around. "I though Don already had Doom?" 

"It's a sequel. Mike suggested it." 

"Speaking of which, shouldy they be back already?" Noriko tied a ribbon around her box. 

"I think half the fun is in getting the pizza." 

"_**PIZZA!**_" Michelangelo's voice bellowed up with the slam of the door downstairs. His brothers could be heard laughing and chattering raucously along with him. "_You guys would not** believe** what happened!_" Lita looked to Noriko, who smiled slightly, tugging the ribbon tight. "**_Is anybody there!_**" 

Donatello sat cross legged by Splinters chair, his brothers sitting around the den. Pizza boxes and soda cans once again cluttered the coffee table. This time crumpled wrapping paper was stuffed in them however. Mike wore ribbons around his neck like necklaces, sitting still while Splinter read a japanese sonnet called _'of age'_. The only ones that seemed to understand it however were Leonardo and Noriko. 

Leonardo nodded to himself as he listened. Raphael sat next to Michelangelo on the couch, holding the hand of Maddie who sat beside him. Erika and Lita sat on the floor by Splinters seat, Noriko sat on the floor beside Leonardo in the opposing chair. 

"Ya sore-no uchi ni, toshi o toru." Splinter bowed his head, his students doing so as well. "…It is a late hour. We should all retire on the events of the day, and reflect." 

Donatello picked himself up and moved aside as Erika and Lita began picking up the garbage off the table. The turtles gathered their things and returned to their rooms silently. Splinter let the side of his mouth perk up, watching his sons file off down the hall… 

"Leonardo," He stopped and turned back. "May I speak with you…" 

Raphael lay on his bed alone in his room, thumbing through one of the comics Donatello had given him for his birthday. It was some magna thing. Not a lot of words, lots of hot girls. He nodded to himself, flipping through the pages. A candle on his night stand flickered, casting shadows everywhere, making it hard to read. He couldn't have his light on after hours. 

A southpark poster now adorned the wall above the head of his bed, from Michelangelo. And beside it a japanese scroll that read -Brookland Bad Ass. That was from Leonardo. The expression on Splinters face was priceless. That was an added bonus. Not the only one he would receive that night. 

The door in front of him opened quietly. Raphael looked over the top of his comic book, running his finger down the edge of the remaining pages. Maddie closed the door behind her discretely, twsiting the bolt around to lock it. 

Raphael walked his eyes up from her feet, tilting the comic book down as he did so. She had become clad in a 'not-so-innocent-you-want-me-and-I-know-it' lingerie. Her hair was tosled atop her head with a clip, a few renagade strands hanging down over her collar bone. 

She smiled with a shy inviting quality, rubbing her knees together. Raphael pressed his lips together, setting his comic book down on his lap. She said something like 'Happy birthday', but he couldn't tell. The blood already rushing to his head. "Well?" She smiled nervously. 

"… You are the best girlfriend ever." 

Lita yawned as she stumbled into the kitchen. She clumisly tied the robe around her waist on her way to the coffee machine. Maddie and Raph were already up. Raphael sat at the table, watching Maddie. He glanced at Lita briefly as she entered. Maddie worked at the stove with a smirk, scrambling eggs. Lita grinned to herself. She was privy to a little secret no one else appeared to know yet. She had sat up with Maddie fixxing her hair and partaking in giggly girltalk before she had gone down to Raphaels room the night before. 

Leonardo and Donatello were downstairs as well talking with Noriko. Erika had taken a bowl up to Flash for breakfast. Splinter and Mr. Tagahasi spoke in quiet japanese at the kitchen table. They seemed to be becoming best of friends. Uncle Joey was unaccounted for. He'd had a date the night before. He'd been going out more and more lately. 

Lita poured herself some coffee and sat on the counter, blowing off the steam. The kitchen seemed approprietly crowded. However, when the entire gang was together in the one room it got packed, fast. Lita looked over at Leonardo, Donatello, and Noriko. They were speaking in japanese again. Or at least Noriko and Leonardo were. Donatello was listening in. She didn't want to admit she was jealous, but she was. 

"Hey Lita," Maddie whispered, as if she was afraid to disturb the conversations. "How do you want your eggs?" 

"Oh, scrambled I guess." Lita shrugged and looked into her coffee. Maddie nodded and went back to work. 

"Could you go check if Mike's up yet? I don't want to have and make breakfast all over again." 

"Sure." Lita jumped off the counter and set her mug down before leaving the kitchen. Her first guess was that he was sleeping in. And when Mike sleeps in, he does it marathon style. She continued down the side hallway to his room, third on the right. "Mike," She opened the door and peeked in. "Break- oh." He wasn't there. Which meant he was probably upstairs with Erika and Flash. She closed the door and went to leave when she saw Leonardo coming for her in the hall. 

"Lita, may I talk to you?" 

"Sure." He stopped a few yards away and suggested they speak in her room. "Why not." She shrugged and followed him back out. 

Once in her room Leonardo closed the door partway. Lita threw her covers back over her bed, making it somewhat presentable, not knowing quite why. She sat on her bed crossed legged and waited for him to begin. Leonardo cleared his throat, standing off by Maddie's bed. 

"I've been speaking with Master Splinter about the events that took place last week." Lita moaned. 

"Not this again." 

"The events that neither you or Maddie seem to remember." Lita crossed her arms and looked at the door. Lo and behold, Mikey pops in. He flashes a grin and looks between the two. Leonardo doesn't tell him to leave, so he stands in the doorframe. This is looking more and more planned every minute. Lita looked back to Leonardo. 

"Even if we don't remember, it doesn't mean anything happened." She counted on her fingers. "We went to go out, we were tired, so we came back and fell asleep… and didn't remember coming back." It was a lost cause, but she didn't want to admit he was right. She didn't remember a lick of what happened in the ball court. And knowing Leonardo, there was no doubt something completely embarrasing he had in store for her. 

"No way!" Mike piped in in humor. "Dude, Leo was totalling carrying you two home over his shoulder." He started chuckling. "It was pretty funny." 

"How would you explain that?" 

"Mike's crazy." 

"Everyone else remembers the same thing." Lita sighed in exasperation. She was glad she hadn't blushed about being reminded about Leonardo bringing her and Maddie in. 

"Fine, whatever." She sucumbed to the logic. Leonardo took another breath. 

"We want to put you under hypnosis." Mike took the cue and left the room. 

"_What!_" 

"Just so we can see what happened." 

"So get Maddie! She was there too ya know." 

"It has to be you, Lita." He answered before she had a chance to ask. "You were closer to the Traveler then she was. Maddie has concussive amnesia, while yours came from inside your own mind. It would be easier to uncover. And if we did use Maddie, bringing up memories from the last week might also bring back memories from her car crash. It's much safer to use you." Lita huffed and crossed her arms tighter, looking away. "Lita… this is important." 

Thick insense wafted through the small room as Splinter sat himself down. His room was contained, and now lite, only by candle light. He never took to the electric lamps, or tree lights the way his children had. Leonardo and Lita sat on the rug across from him, waiting. Lita had just been woken, as directed, and was still woozy. Splinter reached over and lit one final candle. 

"Are you ready Lita?" He asked. She nodded vaguely. Leonardo placed his hands on his knees, touching his fingers to his thumbs. "Then we'll begin." Lita yawned and blinked a few times. Splinter waited for her pulse to lower again, and picked up the stick of inscense placed in the triangle between them. He blew a puff of smoke into her face softly and asked her to close her eyes. She could hardly keep them open in the first place. 

Lita didn't hear Splinter's voice. Only the images he suggested on her did she percieve. 

She was standing on a vast brown plane. There were mountains far far out of the horizon, in every direction. The sky was a navaho white, the sound of faint atmospheric winds reached down from above. She turned around very slowly. The plane was completely deserted. Sand blew around on the ground, not knowing quite where to go. 

Lita stopped to face a tree in the distance. As she got closer she saw the tree had no leaves. Long dry branches reached out in all directions. The tree was dying. When she came close enough she saw an apple hanging from one of the branches. She reached out and plucked it from the end of the branch. It had a rough supple texture in her hand. She brought it up close to look at it. It was red, and nondescipt. She brought it to her mouth and took a bit out of it. 

Lita sat in a corner huddled up, a blanket drawn around her shoulders. Hundreds of other boys and girls were with her in the long room. Matrix soldiers patroled up and down the track between them. Their grey uniforms matched their grey featureless faces. Black slits worked as eyes, and as the only milstone on the face. Sometimes you could see the bulges in their back where their wings wanted to come out. Not tonight though. It was lights out. The black cement walls of the orphanage made the sleep room claustrophobic. Some of the kids cried out, and were swiftly silenced with a look from one of the guards. 

Lita shivered and wrapped herself up tighter. It was so cold. Her long hair covered her ears and kept her head warm. Her eyes followed on of the soldiers, coming back up to her end of the room, near the door. His proton bayonet at rest at his side. She swallowed and rocked herself up on her haunches. 

The soldier leaned over nonchalantly and picked her up out of the corner. He held her close to him and walked out. Lita clung to his neck, the grey blanket cloaked her back. She looked like part of his tunic now. 

"Quiet now." He whispered through his mask. Lita peeked out from under her hair, looking down the cold cement hallway. She could see the other sleep rooms in the hall, soldiers marching back and forth. One could actually feel the icey attitude in the air. Lita shivered and tightened her arms around Sir Leonardos neck. "It's alright now… it's alright." They disapeared into the shadowy passage ways. 

Tinkling music played a soothing tune, a little louder then the talking going on. The baby waved her fists around, looking at the bamboo bars of the soft thing. The air was warm, and smelled sweet. A face appeared over her and smiled. She smiled and giggled, reaching up to it. The face reached down and picked her up. It spoke to her in a deep voice, but smooth and soothing. She giggled and batted at its nose. A big hand took her little hand in its own and pressed it to its lips. She wiggled around as she was trasfered over to the other face. It held her close to the warm mounds on its chest and kissed her head. The baby looked up and curled her fists around the long hair that hung near her. She stuck it in her mouth and looked up at the face. It smiled, the big brown eyes narrowing slightly. But something was wrong. The baby cooed as its forehead as kissed. The soft voice whispered into her forehead and planted a light kiss on it again. 

The baby looked at the faces as she was handed away. Another pair of hands took her and turned her towards the new face. It was a little like the other soft face, but it was whiter. The eyes were blue, and it had brown hair. Ruddy, not sleek. There was another face behind it, with the same white skin, and yellow/brown hair. It had a white stick in it's mouth that had searing red dots on the end, white smoke floating out of it. The baby coughed, and the face holding it cooed to her. It's voice was strange and different. The new faces exchanged a few words to each other and they turned away, putting the little girl over it's shoulder. The other faces were standing next to each other. The baby freed one of its hands and reached it out towards them. They didn't come for her. 

A bamboo door closed and they were outside. The baby opened its mouth and began making as much noise as it could. The face with the stick in its mouth said something to the other face. She could see the house the faces were in receeding into the jungle. Her face began hurting, little tears ran down her cheek. Clouds thundered above her head, and she could hear rain breaking down… 

Lita closed the door behind her quietly, looking at her feet. She wore Maddie's jeans, and Leonardos trench coat over her bathing suit. Sandy stood by the doorway of the kitchen, brushing Karens hair before she went to her friends house for the day. Kenny and Travis ran around trying to smack each other with hotwheel tracks. Piles of childrens toys and plastic bags leaned against the walls waiting to be sorted. "Here," Sandy handed Karen a fruit roll up. "Go wait for your ride." Karen disapeared into the kitchen and joined the other foster children in the persuit. Sandy turned to her and crossed her arms. "Well. I was wondering when you planned on coming home." 

"I'm sorry. I tried calling last night but there was a busy signal." 

"_Liar!_" She was right. But admitting it now would be certain death. "Where were you." Sandy began circling her, drawing in for the kill. Like some kind of shark. 

"At Faiths house." 

"Hmmm," Sandy said, very interested. "_That's_ fascinating. Because I called Faiths mother last night, and she said you weren't there." Lita bit her bottom lip, but didn't reply. "I called up the club and talked to Maura. She said you left." 

"Maura said that?" Lita asked. 

"Mm hmm… Where'd you get that coat?" 

"I don't know." 

"_You don't know?_ Interesting…" She slid her finger under the coat lapel. "It's a little baggy on you… looks like a mans size." Lita tightened the coat around her. Sandy leaned over and sniffed the shoulder, twisting up her nose. "Smells like garbage." 

"Oh." 

"Something a hobo might wear." 

"I guess." 

"You guess." She wasn't about to tell her about how she spent 15 minutes breathing under boiling water. She had already been pegged as a liar. Sandy walked around closer to one of the walls, her hand nonchalantly picking up a plastic soft ball bat. "You know what I guess?" 

"What." 

"_I_ guess you ran off to throw some cookies around with a bum!" She brought the bat up and cracked it against Lita's shoulder, sending her crashing into the wall. "_You fucking slut!_" She screetched. Lita grabbed her shoulder, slumped against the wall. 

"San'y, Travis is wearing my socks! He won't give 'em back!" Kenny came running in. 

"Travis, go get your socks out of the laundy basket." Sandy called. "Lita, get outa here." Sandy walked back into the kitchen. 

Lita walked beside Maddie, chattering on about the most inane things she could think of. They were walking into an empty basketball court used by the rec. center. No one was using it now, so it didn't seem very safe to be walking through at the moment. But she didn't want to stop them both and walk back towards the lair. Maddie might just break out into sobs. Poor girl. Lita sighed to herself running her fingers through her hair. 

Suddenly Maddie stopped and gasped. Lita looked up and shrieked in surprise. It was the Traveler. He wasn't wearing sunglasses, his eyes were cutting. 

The next second she was under water. In some infinate ocean of types. She was just floating there in space. She couldn't see the surface, or the floor. She turned around in circles, looking for someone, or something. What was she doing here? But it didn't seemed to matter. She stopped and took a deep breath. It felt like the water was drawing in through her pores, and she breathed it back out again. The entire ocean drew into her, and she could breath. 

The ocean disapeared as suddenly as it appeared, and she was back in he basketball court. She couldn't see Maddie, and Leonardo was standing in front of her, with his shell turned to her. The next second she felt her knees fall out from under her and she was on the ground. Leonardo appeared next to her the next minute, holding her head up. 

"Lita…" His voice sounded far away. "Lita… are you ok?" She breathed out, a small puff of blue coming out of her mouth. She could feel the world spinning away from her. She couldn't hold on. "Lita… say something, please!"…. 

Lita took the apple away from her mouth and looked into it. The plain began spinning farther and farther away, until she was back in Master Splinters room, with the insense and candles. She was unsettled. 

"…Lita, …how do you feel?" Splinter asked softly. All she could do was stare at the wall across from her. "Fine." He nodded. "You did very well." She nodded absently. "You should rest now, and let your mind settle. Leonardo, help her to her room." Leonardo went to take her arm, but she shrugged him off. 

"It's ok. I'm alright." She got up and walked off under her own power…Leonardo watched her walk off, then looked back at Master Splinter. Splinter nodded to himself as the door closed. 

"I feared this situation might arise." He stroked the tuft of fur under his chin. 

"What is it, Splinter?" 

"The Traveler has gained control of some parts of the elemental crystals He has learned to used part of it to manipulate Lita into giving him her power." He stood up and took out he candle snuffer from his cabinet. "Of course he had been intrudeed upon before he could collect her essence." He snuffed out some of the candels. "I'm curious as to what he has amassed by this time." 

"What should we do, Master?" Leonardo looked up at him as he placed the nearly finished stick of inscense on his night stand and smudged it out. 

"We must now retrieve what we can find of the elemental crystals, and hope that he has not collected them all before us." 

____


	13. chapter 13

Untitled Document Michelangelo trapped Raphaels hand under his arm, around the chains of his nunchuck. He began to twist the wrist around until Raphael could grab him from the other side and throw him off. Mike twirled his nunchucks around and jerked it towards Raphaels leg, the chain making clinking sounds as the links slid against each other. Raphael caught the dowel between the prongs of his sai and finished his recovery. 

"You'll have to do better then that." He huffed with a happy grin. 

"Comin' atcha!" Mike held the dowels of his 'chucks in both hands and rushed his brother. He let one of the nunchucks go when Raphael grabbed it, and spun around with the second on, hitting the rim of his shell. Raph grunted and swatted at it like a fly, grabbing the second nunchuck and turning around to face Michelangelo. He grinned between the ceasing shivers of pain coming from his shell, and jerked the nunchucks toward them. "_Waaa!_" Michelangelo came with them as Raphael rolled back onto his shell. He was swiftly lifted up on Raphaels feet and thrown off in the opposite direction. 

Mike landed on his feet and flipped over again to displace the force of the throw. Raphael jumped back up to his feet and twirled his sai around, ready for another move. Unfortunately they were interupted before the spar could continue. 

"Can I cut it for a minute." Leonardo stood in the doorway. 

"Keep it short, Raph's due for a butt kickin'." Michelangelo dusted himself off and grinned. 

"Too bad. We have work to do." 

"What's it now." Raphael asked, sticking his sai back into his belt. Leonardo sighed and patiently recounted word for word what he'd been told by Master Splinter. Raphael and Michelangelo waited while he finished his speech and left with him from the dojo. There was never enough time for fighting anymore anyway. 

Leonardo stopped once they reached the ladder, and hung back. Raphael climbed up ahead of him, and Mike went into the kitchen while he started back to find Donatello. 

Raphael came to stand in the doorway of Maddie's room, leaning against the doorjam. Maddie sat on her bed reading from a text book, a couple other thick books laid around her. He smiled slyly and snuck in the rest of the way, balancing precisely on the pads of his arched feet. She didn't see him come of course. Which amused him. He made it almost all the way to the bed before he stopped. When she reached up to brush a strand of hair behind her ear she glimpsed his foot and gasped. Raphael picked one of the books up and sat down on the bed, leaning on one of his elbows. He could still hear her heart pounding. 

"Hey babe." He reached up and brushed back the renegade hair back behind her ear. She let her breath out and closed the book. 

"You scared me." She smiled and laid on her side next to him, propped up on her elbow. He perked up the side of his mouth and rested his arm on her side now that she had presented it to him. "What's up?" She asked suggestively, tracing her finger around his jaw. Raphael raised an eyebrow. But he wasn't here to fool around. 

"You remember having any gold ball? Something with little marks on the sides?" She stared off, then back to him. 

"Yeah. That I did." 

"Still got it?" 

"Burned down with the bar. Duh." 

"Oh. Right." 

"I actually went to look for it awhile ago, without much luck. Started to miss the old thing. Why, was it important?" He watched her hand as it stroked his beak. 

"I dunno. Splinter was looking for them or something." Maddie frowned. 

"Oh." 

"Well. Now that that business is taken care of." He pulled her closer, pressing his lips against hers. 

"It's about yea' big, little writing things on the side," Michelangelo held his hands out like he was holding a baseball. Erika nodded. 

"Of course. I gave it to Jimmy." 

"Jimmy?" 

"Mm hm. I was afraid it might get stolen if I kept it with me." 

"Think he still has it?" She laughed. 

"Of course." Mike opened the door and followed her out of the kitchen. They walked through the den and up the ladder to the hall. Peeking in on Maddie's room Mike gave Raph a quick cheer, glancing at him making out with Maddie on her bed. Raph waved him off and curled his arm back around her. Thank god he had forgiven him. It had taken a few rough sparring lessons, but Raph had finally let go. Erika pulled Mike towards the end of the hall and pushed open Flashes door. 

Flash fiddled with the hand held television, his foot propt up on a few pillows. Comics borrowed from Mike laid strewn out around him, amunst a few stacked dishes. He smiled when they came in, jerking the antanae around. 

"Hey guys. Wuzzup?" 

"Jimmy," Erika picked up some of the comics and set them aside before sitting at his bedside. "Do you remember a gold ball I gave you… when we were real little?" Mike leaned against the door frame and raised an eyebrow as the blood drained from Flashs face. 

"Um… yeah… about that…" He scratched his hair. It looked like he needed a brush. "I was…ah…" 

"Jimmy, what is it?" 

"Look, somebody took it from Jay's place. Okay?" Erika frowned. "I'll get you another one, ok?" "Jim…" Erika looked down. "…I was gunna tell you… I just…" He trailed off. Mike scratched his head. 

Leonardo looked in after Donatello as he went into his lab. Noriko sat at the messy desk beside the computer, fiddling with the conduits of some electronic sheets. Her hand slipped and she frowned. 

"Stupid little…" She mumbled to herself, hunched over the desk. 

"Noriko," Don drew her attention, she turned around. "Uh, can I interupt you for a second?" 

"Sure. What's up?" She glanced over his shoulder to Leonardo, then back to him. 

"Uh… you ever have some gold ball. About four inches in diameter? Marked with some heiroglyphics, or like." She shook her head. "Um.... you're positive?" 

"Positive. Never heard of it." 

"umm." Leonardo gave Don a blank gaze when he looked back. 

"…Why don't you ask Grandfather? He might know about it." 

"Your Grandfather?" Don blanched. 

"He used to keep lots of things in the greenhouse, maybe it's in there. You can catch him there tomorrow likely." She smiled. 

"Oh, sure... tomorrow. Well," Don looked over his shoulder to Leonardo. "Um… good?" Leo nodded. "Ok." He turned back. "Oh… and…" He picked up another mini tool and exchanged it for the one in her hand. "That works better." 

"I kept trying to…" Leonardo backed away from the lab and let his brother be. Besides, he never much cared for all that complicated mumbo-jumbo. It was beginning to get late, he planned on crashing soon. But not before getting one thing out of his way. 

Leonardo pushed open the door of Lita's room and checked in. Raphael was with Maddie on her bed making out, a hand moving cleverly up her skirt. Lita wasn't there. 

"Ahem." Raphael broke away and looked back at him. Maddie giggled and wiped her bottom lip. "Have you seen Lita?" 

"_Mm,_" Maddie shook her finger. "Yeah. She said she was going to the club for a swim." 

"This late?" 

"She said she was kinda worked up. Be back late." Leonardo sighed. 

"Alright. Raph, shouldn't you be in your own room?" 

"This one's fine with me." Raph grinned and pulled Maddie closer. She giggled, drawing little circles on the bulge of his shoulder. 

"I think you should be sleeping in _your_ bed." "I think this one would be more fun." Leonardo jerked his thumb over his shoulder and Raphael grumbled. 

"Night." He pecked her cheek and crawled off the bed. Leonardo stood back so his brother could pass by. 

"G'night." Maddie said, not diguising the sultry tone in her voice. Raphael turned and smiled slyly as Leonardo closed the door. 

"Good night, Maddie." He said bluntly before closing the door. Raphael grinned and headed back down the lower level. Leonardo sighed and followed him down. Couldn't have one quiet night. 

"_No_ way. Not a chance, nope." Joey crossed his arms. Splinter and Tagahasi stood in Splinters bedroom watching Joey stalk about. "Not without one of us there." Splinter and Tagahasi had already been discussing the possibility of sending the turtles and the girls to Hawaii. In order to possibly recover Lita's elemental stone. The two of them had already come to a concensus, but Joey… 

"Mr. Carlino. I view my students as consciencous adults, as they are in the customs of ninjitsu. They are quiet capable of looking after the girls for a weekend." Splinter said, seeing that his voice gained a soothing edge. 

"Oh, right. They'll look after 'em alright." Joey said sarcastically. Splinter furrowed his brow. "Look, yer kids are alright. Jes' that, _Raphael_. I'm not about ta trust him 'lone with _my_ li'l girl." 

"Mr. Carlino. Raphael and Maddeline's romance has not gone unnoticed on my part. In my judgment, however, I believe they will be mature adults if left be." Splinter's voice remained even. "And in such a large group, any disreputable triste you suggest they would engage in, would go very much noticed." Joey grumbled. "I will have a talk with Raphael. There will be no difficulty on their travels." 

Lita jetted through the water lazily, letting the water sink into her skin. The club was dark and quiet, there was no life guard on duty. Michelangelo had taught her how to jimmy open the lock to most doors. She wondered if he'd learned that through his ninja training… probably not. 

Lita came up to the surface and stood up. She ran her fingers through her hair, sending water spraying off. The darkness encompassed her, leaving her in a comforting solitude. She'd been living in one like it so long… she was beginning to long for a change. _Oh well. _

"Lita," She turned around to the diving stands. "Can you come over here." It was Leonardo. She disintigrated into the water and reformed by him in the pool. She wasn't in the usual fighting mood. 

"Yeah." She said quietly, rubbing her arm. 

"_…You ok?_" 

"_Yeah._" _Why the hell would you care._ "What do you want." 

"We're leaving tomorrow morning." 

"Huh?" 

"Uncle Joey chartered a plane." 

"_Really?_" He nodded. "Why?" Leonardo knelt down by the diving stand. 

"Splinter wants us to go to Hawaii to find your crystal." Her eyes lite up. "The plane leaves tomorrow at noon. You probably want to get some sleep." He reached his hand out to her. 

"Yeah." She took his hand and he hoisted her out of the water. Water splashed on the tile, and onto Leonardo. He frowned and wiped his chestplate off with his other hand. 

"I really wish you'd be more careful." She grabbed her towel and wrapped it around her hips. 

"I'm careful enough." 

"Maybe for a girl." He muttered, wiping his hands. "While we're there, mabye you could just be a little _less_ flagrant?" She turned back to him, her mouth open. Why did she always do that around him. "We're going into a possibly dangerous situation. You have to be a little less visible." 

"Less visible?" 

"I think you know what I mean." Lita gave him a swift push. Leonardo waved his arms around, tilting back on the edge of the pool. His eyes were wide with surprise as he fell backwards into the water with a deafening crash. 

"Yeah. Yeah, I know what you mean." 

Splinter watched his sons throwing their things together onto the sofa. It was much more organized then usual. Joey reluctantly handed over car keys to Maddie. Flash sat on the futon sulking, watching every one else preparing to leave. Erika came over to him, setting her bag on his lap while she packed. 

"We'll be back tomorrow night. Don't act so sullen." Splinters eyes drifted to his friend Tagahasi, nursing a cup of tea. He looked up to him and nodded slightly. Noriko came and began talking with him, setting her bag on the arm of the chair. Splinter turned his attention to Raphael, who came in from his room with a black plastic bag. He tossed it onto the couch and took a second to kiss Maddie good morning. Joey frowned and shot Splinter a look. 

"…Raphael." Raphael looked over his shoulder to Splinter. He turned and walked into his room. Raphael looked around and followed him. 

Splinter closed the door after his son and signaled him to have a seat on the bed. He sat down, and Splinter took his seat across from him. 

"I believe it is time we had a talk, Raphael." 

"…um…sure." 

"Raphael-san, women are like roses." Raphael swallowed. "Beautiful, and fragrant. With proper tending it can grow tall and fine, and become an admirable flower. But if that rose is picked before it's prime, it will wilt quickly. And a wilted flower is no longer beautiful, or fragrant… do you understand?" 

"Yes." 

"But if that rose has blooms well under your care, you may pick it. Raphael, always remember... to keep the spirit of that rose with you. Even if the rose has left." Splinter watched his eyes dart around. He was getting nervous. Splinter nodded. 

"Very good. You may go now." Raphael stood and bowed. 

Michelangelo threw his backpack over his shoulder, smacking Donatellos arm. 

"What was that about?" He asked Raphael as he grabbed his bag. 

"I think I just got a sex talk." 

"Heh heh." 

"Shut up, Mike." 

"Dear god, let's leave now." Maddie put her foot on the couch arm and buckled her sandle. 

"Wuzzup." Raph flipped one of her pig tails around. She sighed and turned around, he put his hands on her shoulders. 

"Uncle Joey just scheduled an appointment for me to go to a gynocologist." He took his hands right off her. "Right after we get back." 

"…oh." 

"Oh. These are for you." She shoved a box of condoms in his hand. "Enjoy." He stared at them wide eyed. 

"Oh… great…" 

"Yeah…" He turned the box over, then tossed it into his bag. 

"Remind me to send your uncle a thank you bomb." 

The sky was already darkening as the turtles pulled up to the beachside motel. Candle sconces lite the way to the front desk, and around the single floor motel. Maddie pulled the van into the valet and jerked on the parking brake. 

"Be right back." She climbed out of the van and went into the office. Michelangelo mumbled in his sleep and snuggled up next to Leonardo. 

"Feeling alright?" Noriko touched Donatello's arm. He smiled shyly and rubbed his stomach. 

"Yeah." 

"Cool! We're right on the beach!" Lita peered out the window. "Maybe I can finally get some surfing in." She grinned to Raphael. 

"I don't think so, Lita." Leonardo pushed Michelangelo back in his seat. "We're here on business." 

"Is that all you think about?" Lita frowned. 

"Ok," Maddie jumped back in the van. "We're in suite 6. Round back." She shifted the van into gear. "Finally." Raphael leaned back in his seat. Maddie pulled the van back and drove around to the dirt parkinglot in the back. She parked the car nearest to the door and got out. The turtles grabbed their disguise garb and emmerged from the car. Michelangelo stumbled out as he was pulled by Raphael. Maddie opened the door to the suite and turned back. The others grabbed their bags and joined her inside, avoiding the candles with some quick foot work. 

The common room had a white over stuffed sofa, and two futons, facing a coffee table and a big screen tv. Bay windows looked out from the other side of the door, out onto the beach. There were two doors on each of the right and left walls that lead to bedrooms with two twin beds. 

"_Sweet_." Lita tossed her stuff on the couch. "This place rocks!" Leonardo immediately drew the curtains. 

"Yeah, it's nice. But we should all get some rest. It's been a very long trip." He turned away before he could get a nasty look from Lita. Mike mumbled to himself and wandered into the first room on the left. 

"Hey, I ain't sleepin' with Mike." Raph put his hand up." He snores like a chainsaw." 

"I'll sleep with Mike." Don volunteered. "I want to get some reading done." 

"I'll sleep with Maddie." Raph grinned and started for the other side of the room. Leonardo put his arm out and stopped him. 

"You can sleep with me." Raph rolled his eyes and backed off. "You girls can do what you want." 

"Come on, Lita," Maddie grabbed Lita's arm. "We can do make-overs." 

"Cool," They ran off into the farthest of the right rooms. Erika and Noriko said goodnight and went to bed as well. 

"Let's go Raph." Leonardo turned his brother around and gave him a push into their room. 

"Don't get any ideas." 

"Funny." 

"This blows." Michelangelo declared. Open pizza boxes sat on the coffee table with empty soda cans. The room was more and more beginning to resemble the lair. The turtles sat around the tv, watching ER, while the girls were out in town. "Can't we at least open a window." 

"No." Leonardo said promptly. Mike groaned and sprawled out farther on the couch. Raphael pushed his leg off him and crossed his arms. 

"This sucks, like nothing has sucked before." Mike closed his eyes. "God, you can even feel the ocean this close." 

"Wait till the girls get back. Then you can go out." Keys jangled in the door and they scattered again. Michelangelo grabbed a piece of pizza before he ducked into his room. 

"_Hey guys!_" It was Maddie. "We're back!" They emmerged from their rooms. 

"Why didn't you use the secret knock?" Mike asked. 

"There was a secret knock?" Erika asked. 

"No." Raphael smacked Michelangelo. "No secret knock." 

"What took you?" Leonardo asked. Noriko set a shopping bag down. 

"The department of adoptions and customs didn't open till four. So we went shopping for awhile." Noriko shrugged. "Then we went to see some of the volcanoes on the island." 

"They kicked ass." Maddie smiled. 

"Then we went back to the department. Long line. But anyway, Lita had to sign a bunch of papers and waivers and things. But we finally got the security box." 

"…And?" Leonardo prepositioned. 

"No crystal." 

"Damn." 

"There was, a letter." 

"A letter?" 

"From Lita's parents?" 

"…What'd it say?" 

"She didn't show it to us. She just went down to the beach. She said she'd be back later." Noriko shrugged. Leonardo furrowed his brow. 

"Well, let's not let this trip go _completely_ to waste." Mike ran into his room and grabbed his beach towel. "_I'm going for a swim_." He ran out of the commons room, throwing the towel over his shell for disguise. Don shrugged and went to get his bag. 

"My feet are killing me." Erika sat down on the couch and took off her sandals. 

"Ooo. Poor your. Had to go around and shop all day." Raphael said sarcastically. "Boo freakin' hoo." Erika looked over the back of the couch and made a face at him. 

"Hey, the hot tub's empty." Maddie tossed her bags in her room. "Wanna go?" 

"Why in fact, I do." Raphael shot Erika a look and a gust of wind knocked a can off the table and smacked him upside the head. Maddie laughed and grabbed his arm before he could throw the can back. 

"Come on." She pulled him out the door. The rest of the party dispersed, and the room suddenly became quiet. In the distance Mike could be heard hooting and hollering. 

Leonardo ran his hand over his head and went back into his room, closing the door quietly. 


	14. chapter 14

Untitled Document _ Beloved Lita, _

By now you are grown, and into a lovely woman. 

You are our pride, and fill our hearts with joy every day. 

Your smile is like hundreds of butterflies, and your beauty is an ocean of white lotus. Our hope is that on the mainland, you can grow in your love. 

Our beautiful daughter. 

We love you very much, and leave you this token of our pride. 

May all your days be filled with the light you have given us. 

All our love, 

Mama and Papo 

__

Lita let out a shuttered breath and folded the letter back up. She sat on the beach facing the ocean. It was night, the moon was full and high in the sky. The water sloshed up on shore, beconing to her. But this was no time to for a swim. There weren't any white lotus in it anyway. Lita held the letter to her stomach, a few tears dropping onto her legs. Clouds were gathering above head, faint with thunder. 

Single tears slowly turned to streams of tears, and faint thunder turned into a storm. Winds picked up, and the water sloshing on shore turned to waves. Clouds began to drift in front of the moon, and blotted it out. 

Lita wrapped her arms around herself and rocked back and forth slowly. Rain made the sand damp and sludgy, and made her hair stick to her face. A crackle of lightening and thunder lite up the sky. 

"Don't cry, little sweetheart." A deep husky voice came from out of nowhere. Lita gasped and looked where it had came from. A tall man stood beside her. He had deep ebony skin, and short white hair. He wore a gray blue uniform, with many strange symboled medals hanging from the breast. She found him strikely handsome. 

"Wh-who are you?" Lita swallowed back the lump in her throat. He hitched up his pants and sat down on his haunches. 

"I'm a friend." At closer inspection, she saw he had a neatly trimmed white goatee, and a pair of piercing blue eyes. They soothed her. 

"Did you know my parents?" 

"No." He reached up with one of his big hands and wiped away the tears on her cheek. "I didn't know your parents." 

"Oh." She wiped her other cheek with her hand. 

"But I'm sure if I did know them, they wouldn't want for you to be sitting out in the rain all alone." He took his hand back and rested his elbow on his knee. 

"Well, I guess I'm not alone now." She laughed nervously. He laughed as well, a deep chuckle from the bottom of his stomach that he didn't let escape out his mouth. 

"No. No your not." Another crack of thunder sounded. Lita wrapped her arms tighter around herself. "Tell me why you're sad, Lita." 

"I don't know." She said softly, looking away. 

"I think you do." He put the back of his hand under her chin and turned her face towards him. 

"…I just… just feel so…" 

"Alone?" 

"Yeah." He put his hand back. 

"Tell me about it." She rubbed her arm. 

"…I don't know… my parents gave me away when I was a baby." 

"Yes." 

"I just… No one's ever…really… you know… liked me." She looked up at him and he stroked his goatee. "I mean, sure I have friends and stuff… but… there's just something missing." 

"I see." 

"I want my parents. But they…… didn't want me …I guess." 

"I'm sure that's not true." 

"It is, though… people have been giving me away all my life… I just-" Her throat caught. He put his hand on her shoulder. The rain was splashing right off his uniform. 

"Lita. You're parents loved you very much." She looked up at him and he nodded. "So much, that they wanted the best for you… even if that meant sending you away from them." 

"… I don't understand it." He rubbed her shoulder. 

"I know… But if they could be here right now, I'm sure they would tell you how much they loved you." Lita took another shuttered breath and held the letter tighter to her stomach. "And Lita," He took one of her hands. "I want you to remember something." 

"…Yeah?" 

"Remember… that somewhere out there… there's someone that loves you very much… That's your family now." She swallowed. "When ever you look at your hand… I want you to remember that… alright?" 

"…Alright." He brought her hand up to his lips and kissed her palm. His goatee and mustache tickled her hand. She felt a shimmering electricity sprint up her spine. 

"Good." He let her hand down and stood back up. "You'll be alright, Lita." He straightened his uniform. 

"Wait, who are you?" He smiled. 

"A friend." 

"Bu- wait!" He held his hand up. 

"A friendly reminder… look out for the wave." She looked at the ocean, just as a tall wave was heading towards shore. 

"Oh. Right." When she looked back he was gone. "Damn, that's annoying." She jumped up and ran back towards the hotel before the waved caught up with her. 

Raphael glared into the mirror, wiping his face off with a towel. He used his hand to turn his face to the side, still keeping his eye on the mirror. A wide grin spread over his face and he left the bathroom, back into the room he shared with Leonardo. 

"Now this," He turned his head to the side to show the profile. "Is a handsome mug." Leonardo raised an eyebrow of one of his closed eyes as he at on his bed meditating. 

"Did you discover this yourself?" 

"Oh, I've always known." He threw the towel back in the bathroom. "Mads just brought it to light earlier this evening." 

"Oh really." 

"Yessir. Of course I think she might've just been trying to get me to sleep with her." He sighed. 

"She must think you're a piece of meat." 

"Ouch… Well, brother dear, when it comes down to it, which one of us will be sleeping alone tonight?" 

"I suppose this means you'll be in Maddie's room tonight." Raphael went rummaging through his bags. 

"Sure does." 

"Did you think about Lita?" 

"Hey, Lita's cool." 

"Hmm." 

"Oh, sweet innocent Leonardo." Raphael walked up to his brother. "Someday, maybe you'll be ready to take the step into manhood." He patted his shoulder. "But for know, you can sit in your room alone and choke the chicken." 

"Thank you for that touching sentiment." 

"Glad to help." He gave him one last pat on the shoulder and went to the door. "Don't wait up." He grinned and closed the door behind him. 

"I won't." Leonardo mumbled, uncrossing his legs and getting off the bed. The room was humid from Raphael's hot shower. Outside he could hear the wind howling, and rain pelting down. Maybe he could get some fresh air in the room. It was impossible to sleep with so much dampness in the air. 

He pushed aside the curtains and opened up the window a smidge. Outside something caught his eye. It was Lita. She was alone on the beach… rocking back and forth slowly. Maybe he should go talk to her. He put his hand against the glass. 

Rain and wind were flying into the room, he closed the window. A major storm was building up. Not wise to have the windows open. The room could cool off while he was outside. Leonardo turned around, only to have something else catch his eye. 

There was a man in the room with him. Out of the shadows he could make out a long navy robe, with a light blue stripe going down the center. He put a hand to his chest and cleared his throat before there could be any reaction. 

"Good evening, Leonardo." He had a deep silky voice. 

"Who are you." He stepped out of the corner and smoothed his robe down. He had medium length white hair, greased back with a single shard of hair hanging over his face. His skin was a rich black, and his eyes an icy blue. It was a striking contrast. 

"You should tell me." 

"……Ardimus?" He bowed his head. "What are you doing here?" 

"Your progress has been atroscious." Leonardos eyes widened. "In the name of common good, I've come to… how you say… 'straighten you up'." 

"Oh… um… I'm sorry." 

"There's no need to apoligize. Please, seat yourself." Leonardo sat on the edge of his bed. "I am disapointed, Leonardo." 

"Why?" 

"My livelihood, as well as your own, is at stake. The livelihood of all that remains of us is at stake, and still you ...flounder. You slack in your work. It's unusual I must say. " 

"_I_ slack? Lita's not even trying." 

"This isn't about Lita. It's about you." Leonardo shut up. "In Delphus, the nymph was the most powerful of her kind. She was a leader, and more then that, she helped to hold the kingdom together after the invasion. She was very important to us, and she _should_ be very important to you.   
It has been nearly two months, and I see little breakthough with her. I hold you, as her guardian, responsible. If you had taken more time with her, I believe she might be ready to fight at this point." 

"I don't know how to teach her. She can't learn." 

"She can learn. You're not teaching her right." 

"Well fine. How do I teach her." Ardimus gave him a long withering stare, then went to the window. 

"In every retraining of an elemental, there is something that needs to be given. Something that had been lost…. Maddeline was given companionship. Erika was given security. Lady Noriko her free thought." 

"What should Lita be given?" 

"Why do you think I should know. You're the one to be working." 

"Right." 

"Do you understand now." 

"… I think so." Ardimus turned back around. 

"Get to work." He walked back into the shadows, disapearing into the wall. Leonardo stood up and went to the wall slowly. He ran his hand over it and stepped back. …strange. He sighed and turned back around. His head was spinning. He went into the bathroom, retreiving Donatellos container of asprin. He popped two in his mouth and swallowed them dry. The wind was still howling outside, waves crashed onshore. 

"I'll need a vacation to get over this vacation." Leonardo went back through his room, and out into the commons room. Lita sat on the couch, wrapped around one of the pillows, watching a three stooges movie. He came up to the opposite side of the couch, but she didn't look at him. "You should be sleeping." 

"Raph and Maddie are courting in my room." 

"Oh. Right." He nodded. "You can sleep in my room tonight if you want." 

"Thanks, but this trip's been creepy enough." Leonardo narrowed his eyes. He turned back around and went back into his room. She could sleep out there if she liked. Stupid girl. 

Raphael woke suddenly as the sheets were pulled off. He propped himself up on his elbows as his eyes adjusted. Maddie wrapped the bedsheet around her and went to the door. 

"What is it." He rubbed his eye with his fist. 

"I don't know." She opened the door, light streamed into the room. Outside the others were frantically throwing their things together. Raphael groaned and turned the clock towards him. 

"It's 3 in the fucking morning." He rolled out of bed and came up behind her, resting a hand on her back. "What the hell are you guys doing?" Donatello stopped in his packing and turned to them. 

"Hurricane, the pilot called, they're leaving in 10 minutes, whether or not we're there. Why aren't you guys packing?" He ran back to his room. 

"Oh no." Maddie turned back around and ran back into the room. Raphael yawned and closed the door. Maddie let the sheet drop to the floor, and pulled on her panties. He took a moment to watch her dress and received a nasty look. "If your done getting a woody, maybe you can _pack_." 

"Right right." He opened the door and slipped back out. Leonardo threw his bag at him, his own thrown over his shoulder. 

"I packed for you, come on." He gave him a push to the door. "Mike, start the car." He tossed the keys to Michelangelo standing by the door, and he ran out. "Let's move it Maddie!" Maddie stumbled out of the room, simultaniously buttoning up her shirt and shaking her things down in her bag. 

"I'm coming, I'm coming." She set the bag over her shoulder and hurried out. Leonardo threw the key on the table for the maid to find and followed Erika out, closing the suite up. 

Michelangelo climbed into the back as Maddie took his place. Wind and rain whipped around the parkinglot, tearing up loose flowers from the trees and hurling them against the side of the door. Donatello slammed the door shut the tires squealed against the pavement in response. 


	15. chapter 15

Untitled Document The arboretum was nearly pitch black, minus the timed lamp posts stationed along the walkway. A light breeze blew through the trees, wafting a flowery scent through the air. Nikira held his crystal out as he walked, watching the green crystal grow and wane as it read its signals. He had received an amusing tale about going on a treasure hunt from his comrades in the other dimension. They could go to hell. 

The crystal was leading him back to the same island, glowing angerily on its chain. Nikira dropped the crystal back to hang on its chain, stopping in front of a tall willow tree. Hanging branches slapped him in the face. He smacked them out of his way and ducked beneath. From under his arm he produced a shovel he had theived from a shack in the back. Giving a grumble he tossed his jacket to one of the branches and began rolling his sleeves back. 

Donatello tossed his bag on his bed and stretched. Noriko followed him into his room and sat on his bed, tying her hair back with leather straps. 

"Man, am I glad to be home." He landed face first onto the bed. 

"Me too." 

"What a crappy trip. No offense to Lita, but I never want to go to Hawaii again... Stupid hurricane." 

"Yes. A rude interupption." 

"I'm just going to lie here. Lie here and not move." 

"...I'm glad school's starting." Noriko gave the tie a last tug. "Maybe things will settle?" 

"_Mm_ mm." Donatello shrugged. The door was pushed open deliberately and he turned his head to the side to see. Grandfather Tagahasi stood in the doorway, standing straighter then usual. His whisker like mustaches were waxed down with prescision, like two toothpicks. Donatello cringed when he remember he had still to ask about the element stone. 

"Good afternoon, Noriko. You had a pleasant return?" 

"It was ok." 

"Then good." He turned and left. Donatello turned his head back on the matress to look at Noriko. 

"Are you two still fighting?" Noriko sighed. 

"Sort of. If we were talking, I think we'd be fighting." Donatello sighed and smothered his face in the banket. "It wasn't _so_ bad, until he found some college brochures in my room." 

"I'll see if master Splinter will talk to him." He mumbled into the bed. 

"Thanks." She patted his arm and stood up. "I'll let you sleep if you want." 

"Thanks." She started walking away, he closed his eyes. Norikos sudden shriek shook him up, sending a shot of adrenaline into his viens. He flipped over abruptly, crushing his bag beneath his shell. 

Noriko held her arm as if something was pulling on it, stumbling to keep balance. 

"What are you doing? What's wrong?" Donatello sat up. When she didn't respond he jumped up. A scream was audibly caught in her throat, and she grabbed at her neck. She was lifted right off the ground, her face turning red. He looked at the space between her feet and the floor. "What th-" Her eyes rolled to the back of her head and she dropped onto the floor. "_Noriko!_" He knelt beside her and felt her neck. She was still breathing. He shook her shoulders. "Noriko! Wake up!" She didn't move past the shaking he applied upon her. "_Master Splinter!_" 

Raphael huffed and tossed Maddie's bag onto her bed. "What the hell, you line this thing with concrete?" Lita laughed, feeding her fish. 

"Thank you, honey." Maddie gave him a kiss. "I'm so lucky to have such a strong boyfriend." She ran her hand down his arm. He began to grin. 

"Hey, ok. I'm leaving now." Lita set the container of fish food down and left quietly. "Don't mind me." She closed the door behind her. Maddie watched her go curiously. 

"Man, can she take a hint." He pulled her closer, planting his lips back on hers. Maddie moaned and pushed him back. "Come on." He leaned her backward and they tumbled over the bed. Maddie laughed. 

"Again?" He ticked her sides and they started wrestling on the bed. Raphael growled and nipped her shoulder. She laughed and pinned him on his shell. "Jerk." She blinked once and her eyes took on a watery haze. She looked from side to side, her brow furrowing. "Raph?" She sat up on her knees and looked around. "_Raph?_" 

"I'm right here." He sat up too. 

"What... where am I?" He grabbed her shoulders. 

"Mad-" Her skin was boiling hot, he had to let go. "_Fuck-_" 

"Raph?" Her voice was desperate, and she looked around quickly. He caught a reflection of fire in her eyes, wherever that came from. She began coughing, and put her hand to her throat. "Help... me," She managed between coughs. Her eyes watered, and she grabbed her throat. She leaned forward, and eventually passed out. Raphael flipped her onto her back and checked to see if she was breathing. _What the hell is this... _

Nikira carefully placed the last elemental crystal on the matrix pedastal. All four sat on the corners of the ancient square, connected by a creavice scorn in the stone, to let the energy flow between. The diagonals between Fire and Water, Nature and Air met in the focus, where a deep cone was dug into the pedastal. 

Nikira took the dark crystal and carefully set it into the focus. It slid into its place exactly, and he removed his hands from the pedastal. The charcoal color of the dark crystal began oozing through the grooves of the stone. The crystals began to spark as the dark energy reached them, shaking in their stands. The color over took each of the crystals, silencing the sparks and vibrations. Nikira smiled, it had worked. He touched his finger to the scar over his eye. 

Erika watched Jimmy jiggle his fingers through the tangle of flower wreaths. His foot was propped up on pillows on his bed. She sat on the edge of his bed as he pulled the leighs over his head and grinned. She smiled faintly. 

"Thanks a lot, Erika. These are _so_ cool." He shook the necklace to embelish his point. 

"You're welcome. How were things here while we were gone?" He blanched. 

"_**Boring.**_ Like you would not believe." She smiled and brushed a piece of hair out of his face. "... I guess I deserve it." She nodded. "... So... we... cool now?" She nodded. 

"Come here." She reached out and pulled him into her arms. He wrapped his arms around her and squeezed her tight. She smiled as he buried his face in her hair. He hugged her waist a little tighter then sat back. 

"...You need to wash your hair." He grinned. Erika grabbed a pillow from under his foot and hit him with it. 

"Funny." She stood up. He chuckled. "I'll get you a soda." She turned to leave, the room fell away. The furniture turned to clouds, and the walls turned to vast expanses of sky. The ceiling and floor disapeared around her rapidly. Erika gasped and looked down. She seemed to be floating in mid air, there was nothing anywhere beneath her. Just more clouds. Wind wiped around her face and her eyes widened. She tried to move, but it was like she was frozen in space. The clouds were coming closer, threatening with thunder. Erika opened her mouth to scream for help, wind funneled down her throat, into her blood. It felt like the energy was flowing out of her, into the wind. She put a hand to her throat, but things were fading too fast... fading...... 

Leonardo carefully hung his katanas on his wall, still listening to Michelangelo babbling about the episode of Lois and Clark he missed. Something about how Clark flew all the way to china to get fresh chinese food. He was only half listening as he methodically laid the swords in their catches. 

"You aren't even listening." Mike pouted. 

"No." He stood back and checked to make sure they were even "Go on." 

"_Kay_." Mike piped. Leonardo nodded to himself and began putting away the things on his bed. His mind kept going back to that night in the hotel room. What was it he had to give Lita? Sometimes just he'd like to give her a rap in the mouth. If she wasn't always getting under his shell- 

Leonardo stepped back as the book he was holding dispersed into the air... but it wasn't air. He jerk around quickly, where was he? Where was Mike? The familiar walls were gone, his bed, shelves, books, posters, door, everything. He was under water. So far there was no disginuishable surface, and no distinguishable floor. Just water. Infinite water. It felt like he was sucking it in through his pores, and breathing away energy with every breath. He could see the face of the water woman in front of him. The one that tried to drown him. He snarled and made a slow swipe for her. She grinned, and his energy drained away. The swipe of his arm lost his balance, he fell slowly as the rest of his body turned. Nothing stopped him as he began to tumble farther and farther down in the water. Leonardo strained for his breath.... Everything turning black... _Lita...._

Splinter jolted as his name was called simultaniously by the children. He eased himself out of his chair and took hold of his cane. Michelangelo and Donatello were the first to meet him from downstairs, babbling about what he had been expecting. They turned to each other and exchanged curious looks at each others stories. Raphael was the next, sliding down the rail from the girls hallway. 

"Enough," Splinter put his hand up. "Get them to bed. Bring water... It has begun." 

Leonardo groaned and put his hand to his head. He grimaced and opened his eyes. The light reflecting back at him gave him a headache. He was lying on his stomach, his face buried in sand. He wiped it off his face and flicked off his hand. 

"Leo?" A hand rested on his shoulder. 

"Maddie?" He squinted up. The sun was right behind her, almost blinding him. He put a hand above his eyes. "What happened?" She looked behind her, and he could see Noriko and Erika were with them too. 

"I don't know." He sat back on his knees and wiped the sand on his plastron. It nearly fell right off him it was so dry and thin. The whole place was dry and arid. It was a desert. He looked around, there were no mountains on the horizon anywhere. It was as if they had been dropped, literally, in the midde of nowhere. "You ok?" 

"I think so." Maddie stood up and looked around again. 

"...What do we do now?" Erika asked. 

"We have to get out of here." Maddie summerized. Leonardo eased up onto one of his knees. "Now, which way's north." 

"I don't think we're on Earth." Leonardo looked up at the fours suns. Another planet was visible in the center of them. Maddie looked in the direction he was looking and frowned. "Which means you really do need to get out of here." 

"Noriko, can you feel where the mountains are?" Maddie looked to Noriko. She sat in the sand with her eyes closed. 

"No." 

"What?" 

"There's nothing… everything's dead… can't you feel it?" She looked at Leonardo. He shook his head. She closed her eyes again. "I can't feel anything." 

"…We need to go somewhere." 

"Let's just pick a direction and go please." Erika stood up and dusted the sand off her skirt. 

"That way." Leonardo got to his feet and motioned to the left. 

"Then let's go." Maddie wiped her brow and they started walking. Leonardo got two steps before he fell onto one knee. He grimaced and groaned. Maddie dropped by his side. "What's wrong?" 

"Don't… know…" She put her hand on his shoulder. "God, it hurts." He grimaced. 

"_What?_" 

"Don't know… this place… feels like fire." Maddie put her arm around the back of his shell and helped him onto his feet. He tried not to lean on her, but the pain was terrible. He felt so weak. 

"Just stay on your feet." 

"Yeah." 

The desert was going on forever. There was still no site of mountains, civilizations, or most importantly, water. Leonardo was nearly stumbling as he walked, still using Maddie as a crutch. Noriko was held up by Erika now, her eyes drooping. The sky was darkening as the last sun sunk out of site. Leonardo insisted in pressing on, a strange drive growing within him. 

Noriko whimpered and fell onto her knees. 

"I can't go on." Erika knelt by her side. 

"Come on, Noriko. Just a little farther." 

"No." Leonardo broke in. "We'll stop here." Noriko groaned and laid down on her side. "Let's all get a good nights sleep again before we head out again. I'm sure we'll find something tomorrow." He eased down onto his knees and let go of Maddie. 

"We should start a fire. It'll get pretty cold out here." She said as Leonardo laid down. 

"No, no fire." He closed his eyes. "It'll attract people." 

"Don't we want that?" He shook his head. 

"No. Too dangerous." He rubbed the back of his sore neck. 

"We'll freeze." Erika rubbed her arms, the night chill already coming in. 

"You won't freeze. Stay close together. The body heat will keep you warm." He said. Sometimes girls were so dense. Maddie pulled off her shirt, folded it up, and eased it under his neck. "Thank you." 

"We're all tired. Let's get some rest." Maddie said. Erika sat down beside Noriko and they both laid down. He could here them sigh with relief quietly. Maddie laid down beside him and put her hands behind her head, looking up at the sky. There wasn't a star anywhere, now that night had set. No moon either. Wherever they were… he doubted it was even their own dimension. 

Maddie stirred beside him. He looked over at her and she let a small breath out of her nose. She must be pretty damn cold without a shirt on. He wasn't a master of female anatomy, but he figured she was cold if he could see her nipples through her bra. Raph would kill him if he were here. 

But he didn't feel anything for Maddie. He didn't feel anything for any of them. He was actually kind of impressed at her leadership. Noriko and Erika had looked up to her. Or at least listened to her. But there was still something lacking in her, he felt. 

Maddie furrowed her brow. 

"What are you thinking about." He asked quietly. 

"This." 

"This?" 

"What are we all doing here." 

He looked back up at the sky. "…It seems we're on a spiritual jouney." 

"…This doesn't seem like any journey." 

"We're being tested. Stay strong and we'll all make it back alive." 

"…Leo… Do you think we'll ever get out of here?" Her voice dropped just above a whisper. He turned his head and looked her in the eyes. She was scared. "I feel like we're going to die… I don't want to go without saying goodbye to Raph." 

"You really love him, don't you." She nodded. "…Be strong… we'll get back home." She nodded and looked back to the sky. Leonardo turned his head back and closed his eyes. He hoped Maddie wouldn't crap out on him. She was the strongest of them now. 

Leonardo stayed away for awhile to make sure the others went to sleep. He felt completely drained, but wouldn't rest until the others were asleep. Noriko was the first to fall asleep, then Erika, and Maddie. He began to doze off, then Maddie curled up next to him. She was getting cold, he put his arm around her and pulled her closer. His eyes struggled to stay open, so he let them close. He wouldn't see any of the girls again in the morning. 


	16. chapter 16

Untitled Document Noriko put her hand to her eyes to shield them from the sun. The night had past… thank god. Now the four blazing suns were back, and the freezing temperatures had turned high again… but not as hot as yesterday. Noriko rolled onto her back and looked up. There was only the right most sun in the sky, plus the dark planet. 

"Erika, wasn't-" She looked over to Erika. But she wasn't there. There was an imprint from where she had slept, then foot prints that walked around in a few circles, and back in the direction they had came from, disapearing into the southern distance. Maddie and Leonardo were gone as well. Noriko frowned and looked at all the footsteps. They had left in totally opposite directions. What was going on? She stood up and brushed herself off. This place was more and more disturbing by the hour. Noriko looked around again. None of them were in site. But a cave was about 100 yards off towards the east. They must not have seen it the night before. She scratched her head. There wouldn't be any use following the footsteps, the wind was already blowing them away. Noriko gave one last look around the camp ground and started towards the cave. The weakness she felt the day before was gone, and the closer she got to the cave entrance the more at ease she felt. It had an almost dream like quality about it. 

At the entrance of the cave the sand turned thicker, with some actual organic material. Noriko peeked inside. There was rich foliage growing, like a jungle. The air was humid and warm. Grass and undergrowth tickled her ankles. Noriko walked in, lifting a heavy leaf out of her way. The sweet scent of flower nectar invited her in, she walked in farther away from the cave entrance. 

Erika yawned and snuggled up beside Noriko. The sun on her skin drew her out of the dreamy daze, and she opened her eyes. The long night was over. She stretched her arms out and propped herself up on her elbows. 

"Noriko," She looked down. Noriko wasn't there. There were foot steps walking off toward the east, disapearing into the horizon. Erika looked for Maddie and Leo, they were gone too. Maddie had walked off in the opposite direction of Noriko, and Leonardo had continued on the original way. Erika stood up and brushed herself off. Why had everyone left? Shouldn't they be staying together? And why hadn't they gone into that cave over there? She finally noticed the cave that faced her from the direction they had came from. How could they have missed it? Erika walked around in a circle, looking at all the footsteps walking away. She hugged herself tight. She was alone again. It was terrifying. 

She began walking toward the cave. She was scared as ever, but there was no use walking away from shade and safety. There was only a single shadow now, and only a single sun. That and the dark planet beside it that seemed to hover omnisciently overhead. Erika sighed and walked into the cave. A cool breeze blew from somewhere inside, the ground turned from sand to hard dirt. The wind blew her hair off her shoulders and she walked in, warying one glance behind her. 

Maddie felt the warm sun on her cheek and rolled onto her back to sun her stomach. She opened her eyes and looked up at the sky. There was only one sun this morning, closest to Leonardo. The dark sattalite was still there as well. She immediately looked to her left, sensing something was wrong. And it was. Leonardo was gone. A deep impression was left nearly intact in the sand from his shell. Two toed footsteps walked off. He had left her red cardigan sweater still folded up on the ground. Maddie flipped onto her stomach and up onto her feet. Erika and Noriko had gone as well. Their footsteps looked so alike, she couldn't tell which of them had gone in which direction. One had headed back the way they came, the other had gone in a completely other direction. 

Maddie brushed off the short red pleated skirt and grabbed her sweater. She was tempted to follow after them. But they had all gone in different directions. Who should she follow? Plus, she caught site of a cave of types not far off. Maybe 50 yards off to her left. She looked at it as she buttoned her shirt up. 

_I guess I'm supposed to go in there._ She shook the sand off the back of the sweater and started walking. Sand continued to trickle off the back of her legs as she walked. She walked right up to the mouth of the cave and looked in deliberately, for who ever was watching her. It was a wide tunnel. A tunnel leading down. She started down the path, checking back to see if anything had changed at camp. Nothing had. 

The farther she got down, the more the cave resembled a growing island. There was a walk going down the center, and water sloshed up from hidden springs occasionally. Fresh lava was creeping in, smoldering red with black crusts. Fire sprouted up from the lava tops here and there. It was like what she'd seen in Hawaii. 

The smoldering ground burned away her mary janes, down to her barefeet. The ground was pleasantly warm on her soles and she smiled in spite of herself. 

Leonardo kept his eyes closed as he woke. He had broken the link between reaching conscienceness and his eyelids. He reviewed his situation in his mind, remembering the desert, and the girls, and now, the lack of Maddie's arm draped across his plastron. He opened his eyes and looked over. She was gone. Erika and Noriko were gone too, footsteps walking off in different directions. He lifted up his legs to see Maddie's footprints walking through the sand beneath. Not only that, but her shirt he was using as a neck rest was gone, where he was sure he would have woken if it was moved. 

Leonardo sighed and set his legs back down, sitting up. It wasn't like he hadn't expected something like this. He just hadn't expected such an obvious slip up on the part of their captors. Maddie footsteps wouldn't have came under his own legs while he slept obviously. Someone was mocking him. Some idiot. 

Leonardo stood up gracefully and took his bearings. Three of the suns were missing, with the exception of one. That was the north star he was supposed to use. And rightly enough, a cave had magically appeared over night in their direction. He couldn't see where the girls had gone, but his mission was clear. 

Splinter had sent them on similar spiritual journeys out in the astral plane, he knew there was some goal he was being sent to accomplish. He just didn't know what it was. yet. 

Leonardo walked up to the cave and looked inside. The weakness he had so suffered from before was gone, wisped away durring the night. He put a hand on the mouth of the cave and raised an eyebrow. 

Water ran through from a hidden spring underneath the mouth of the cave, and poured out into an underground river. The ceiling met the water at a downward slope, closing off the air and turning to a full tunnel of water. Igneous rock walls were smooth from years of erosion, and had gathered by the entrance like steps. It reminded him uncannily of the creek passage by the beach. Leonardo sat down on the rocks and set his feet in the water. It was fantastic. Like herbal tea for his feet. He felt every muscle relaxing. 

Leonardo stepped into the water and eased himself down onto the stoney floor. Although the water should have froze him in his spot, he found it unusually refreshing. He walked in farther until his head came under the water. He could see straight through the river, crystaline water. The current pulled him away, and farther down the tunnel. Leonardo reached up and touched the ceiling of the river, there was no room for him to breath. But he wasn't running out of breath at all. He relaxed and swam along with the current, towards wherever it would take him. 

Noriko stopped and looked around inside the cave. The thick foliege she had once had to fight her way through was thinning out. She needed not to push hanging vines and leaves out of her way. The cave forest had diluted so much she no longer needed to watch her feet. The flowers were so far apart there was no way she could clod one without planning ahead. It reminded her of some of the 'development' areas of the arboretum, where plants were just starting to grow, and were small. But instead of growing… things here were dying. They were browning, and limp. The ground was harder, no room to let things grow. 

Noriko turned around and looked back. There was no way to find her way back, after so many twists and turns she had taken back in the jungle. She was lost. But there was still a place she was supposed to go. It didn't seem as good an idea then it first had. Noriko swallowed and turned back forward. 

Erika frowned and looked at her sandles. Thick mud covered them, and up her leg, nearly to her knees where she had just gotten herself stuck. 

"Yucky." She shook her leg, sending mud spattering off. Her other foot became stuck in the mud and she had to yank it out again. The breeze that had originally invited her forward had thinned, like a fan that had turned from high onto low. The ground had turned thick from mud, she had to fight to keep it from sucking off her sandals when she pulled her feet out from it. "I don't like this." Erika started to turn back. 

The other end of the cave was sealed off, almost like she had been walking through sheer rock all the way there. Erika slogged over to the wall and put her hand against it. 

"Impossible!" She gasped. "If Donatello were here he'd know what was going on." She turned back around in the cave. "…But Donatello's not here… I'm all alone." Erika swallowed. "Well…" She started walking. "…Splinter always said I needed to be more time alone... why am I talking to myself." 

Maddie whimpered and wiped her eyes. The path that had so refreshingly singed her feet had been at an inclination, and slanted down farther into the ground slowly. Yet the water level had remained the same, and eventually washed over the path. The lava pits had drawn farther and farther away into tiny islands of fire, and she was now up to her knees in water. 

It burned at her skin like acid. She could see her legs turning red and sore, and becoming itchy, but she didn't want to touch them anymore and get water on her hands. 

_Owie owie owie owie ow_. Maddie wiped her tearing eyes again and began sloshing back through the water. She couldn't tell if the walk was still at a slant, or if it was curving back up again. It just hurt so bad. 

_Just let me get out of here, so I can get back to Uncle Joey, and Raph. I **don't** want to die here! _

Leonardo scooped up a handful of water and splashed it over his face. The river had slowly drained out over time through small leaks in the walls. It had curved back up till the water level reached only his knees, and firey lava oozed from the walls. 

Leonardo stopped for a moment to splash water onto his skin. Out of the water his skin burned, and pained like hundreds of daggars stabbing him. The water soothed his pain. He sighed and resumed his trudging. 

The lava streaming down the walls panned out over the surface of the water. It was getting closer. Like a virus. Flames sprited off from the lava, threatening to lick at his skin. 

"Alright, now that doesn't even make sense." Leonardo commented as a burst of lava splattered out of the wall and flamed up on the growing ground surface. Fire flared up for a moment, then burned out. His testing was growing intense, but he could take it. He always made it. No fire was going to break _his_ spirit. 

Leonardo gritted his teeth and continued on. 

Noriko fell to her knees and wheezed for air. The ground was hard and cement like, furious winds blew at her, throwing specs of dust into her face. Her hair blew out behind her, the shoulder of her shirt fell down. _No life here… so desolate_. She grew weaker by the moment, there was no organic energy to draw on. 

"Good day, Miss Moku." A deep voice came from above her. Noriko squinted and looked up. Sand blew in her eyes and she hid them behind her hand. "There's no great need for you to see my face. You already know who I am." 

"You're the traveler, aren't you." 

"Very good, Noriko." 

"Why have you brought us here?" 

"Oh," He sighed. "To get away from prying and bothersome distractions." He knelt down on his haunches in front of her. "…To talk." 

"Isn't there a more suitable place to talk than this." Norikos fingernails dug into the ground to keep from being blown away from the growing winds. 

"You'd like a change?" 

"If you please." The sand content in the wind picked up dramatically. She spit it out of her mouth and turned her head down again to keep it from being burned from the sand. 

"Anything else, your highness." 

"No." 

"Now you're catching on." He smirked. "So, let us begin. I must be in several places at once this morning." 

"What do you want from me." He put his hand under her chin and tilted her face up to see him. Sand blew in her face still, making her tear, and irritating her eyes. 

"I can see your past in your eyes…" He rubbed her chind with her thumb. "You are a lady of great lineage. True." She nodded. "You come from a long of traditional families." 

"How do you know so much about me?" 

"I know everything about you. I've been looking through your mind while you've been traveling… I know about your grandfather." 

"Ojisan?" 

"You've dishonored your family, and your grandfather." She hung her head. "Why?" She didn't answer. "You want to please him so." He brushed a piece of her hair behind her ear. "He is disapointed in you. In all you've been doing. Have you not forgotten your heritage?" Noriko bit her lip. "……Now's the time to make a decision." She looked up. 

"What do you mean." 

"It's easy… I'll give you back your familys' honor. I can do that you know." 

"…In exchange for what." 

"…Your powers." Noriko gasped. 

"My powers?!" 

"Think about it, Noriko… think about your grandfather." 

"_No,_ you can't have my powers!" 

"Think, you are weak, it has been nearly three days and you already have a foot in the grave. Such simple conditions here, and yet look at you." He pushed her face aside. "Frail as a kitten… when the war begins, you will be useless." 

"I will not." 

"Your powers are in vain… what I ask is so simple. Your freedom in exchange for your burdon." Noriko shook her head. "Your friends have already agreed. Even _Leonardo _knows what's practical." 

"_Leonardo?_" 

"He told me he spoke with Master Splinter through the astro… plane." 

"Astral plane." 

"I suppose. Would you like to speak to Splinter… or your grandfather?" 

"…No." She looked up at him. "No, Leonardo would never give up Lita's powers, especially since they're not his own." The wind picked up steadily. "_You're lying!_" 

"Am I?" 

"_Yes! Yes you are! And I won't believe you!_" 

"That's too bad-" 

"_Get out of here! I won't listen to another word! Lying bastard!_" She glared at him. He narrowed his eyes. 

"…I'm sorry you feel that way." He stood back up stiffly and turned on his heels. Wind howled up from behind her, then from her sides. Noriko gasped as she was lifted up into the air, furious air currents suspending her. The traveler stood back and watched her. 

Pressure grew like a tube squeezing tight around her, pushing the air out of her lungs with a burst. Noriko cringed as the pressure crushed in on her, pinning her arms to her sides. A cry rose up in her throat as her bone matter quickly crumbled. _Don't give in… you can't… give… in… _

**Splu-cork**

Noriko folded in on herself with a splatter of blood on the ground. Nikira furrowed his brow and looked down at the red spray. These humans were much too soft. He'd have to go easier on them if they were going to last longer then 5 minutes. The cave disapeared, and he moved into the opposite one. 

This one was filled with a thick substrate of mud and organic materials, a good 20 feet deep. He had designed the specifics himself. It seemed to be working. The next elemental was treading mud, struggling to stay above the surface. Her white blond hair was coated in mud, stuck helplessly in the sludge. She gasped for air, kicking her way up. He sat on a ledge in the cave side and crossed his ankles. "Good morning, Erika." Her icey blue eyes shifted to him. She was undeniably scared. Good. "Here's mud in your eye." He flicked his hand with a smirk. She pushed her hair out of her eyes, smearing the mud on her forehead. "I thought it was funny." 

"Why-" She spit out dirty water. "Why are you doing this?" 

"Why, for your own good… Look at you, flailing around like a wounded canard." He kicked a little mud in her face. "You can't even dig your way out." She spat the mud out. "… Are you ready to leave?" She nodded weakly. "Good." She looked up at him. He took out the crystal necklace from underneath his shirt. "Just touch your finger to this." He pulled it off his neck and held it out to her. 

"What-what is it?" He held it closer. 

"Just take it." 

"You're going to take my power." 

"Yes." 

"Is that why you brought us here?" 

"In a nutshell." 

"Is that why I'm alone?" 

"You're smart, for someone that's never been educated passed third grade." He smirked at her surprise. "I've done my homework." 

"…oh." 

"I know your brother has though… You're proud of him because of it." 

"…yes… so." 

"It's getting rather difficult to threaten effectively. Maybe I should hit you over the head with it next time." 

"Don't you touch Jimmy!" He held the crystal out to her. She simmered down and closed her mouth. He gave it a flick with the tip of his pinky, making it spin around slowly. 

She was thinking. Her brow furrowed a little with thought. He sat it wait, letting the necklace capture her eyes. Her mind was leaning towards his will, he stopped the spinning with his finger so the white crystal faced her. 

She kept thinking… then shook her head. 

"No… I can't surrender the powers of the universe… even for Jimmy." He put his foot on her shoulder. 

"You would surrender your own brother instead?" 

"Not that you would understand, but I would." He took the necklace back. 

"Oh, I understand more then you know. But maybe you'd like to think about your descision for a little longer. I'll let you be alone." He pushed her down, under the mud with his foot. Her free hand waved around above the surface frantically. "Take your time." He called. 

Nikira leaned back, holding Erika's head under with his foot. She thrashed around in the muck, but her mind wasn't waivering any closer. He pushed her down a little farther, sticking his feet in up to his ankles. 

Soon the thrashing ended, her hand fell limp and immediately began sinking down. He took his foot out and looked down. 

Hmmm. These mortals aren't very durable… the freak lasted longer without air with Naiya....I suppose humans though aren't as sturdy… at least I won't need any testing with this next one, however. He shook the mud off his boot. Stupid mortals. 

Maddie wheezed for air, swimming lethargically forward. Her skin was bright red with irritation, and burned like boiling water. She had lost touch with the ground, cold water was everywhere. Tears burned her cheeks as well. It was like swimming in a vat of cold acid… swimming in circles. 

"Why don't you take a rest." A man appeared beside her, standing on the surface of the water. She treaded water and looked up. "How's that." 

"It's_ you_," Nikira smirked. "_You're_ behind this." 

"Or is it you?" 

"…What the hell does that mean?" 

"Oh, there's no need to fuss." He knelt down, swirling his finger in the water. "I just dropped in to talk with you." 

"Why don't you go fuck a buffalo,_ asshole_. I'm _not_ talking to you." She swam on. He stretched his leg out, catching her chin under his foot. "_Urk-_" He pulled her back. 

"I'd appreciate you being a little more respectful." He turned his shoe around so the tip pointed into her throat, constricting her breath. "Foul language is unbecoming of a lady." He pushed it against her, making her hiss as she breathed. "Now… say you're sorry." 

"." He took his foot back. She put a hand to her throat and took a well deserved deep breath. 

"Now you might think about staying put until I'm done." He straightened his jacket. "You should respect your elders." 

"Fuck you." She knew she could have thought of something wittier, but the pain was unbearable, she couldn't help but rub her hive covered skin. For her words she received a kick in the side of the head. It knocked her off balance enough to make her go under, twisting under the current. 

Maddie cringed as her hair was grabbed, yanking her back to the surface. She was pulled up, and above the surface of the water. The traveler grasped her hair in one hand, and held her up above the plane of rippling water, frowning as she screamed. She probably would've continued to scream if he hadn't slapped her face with his other hand. 

"Enough." He twisted his hand, winding her hair around his wrist. She held onto the roots of her scalp, crying silently at the pain. "Stupid woman." Water ran down her skin, but at least she wasn't enveloped by it anymore. She kicked her feet lethargically. "Weak… like a little girl." He shook her back and forth slowly to emphasize his point. She cried out, trying to stabalize herself. "You're too weak… you cannot hold an element… you're just a smart tongued bitch, aren't you." He sneered in disgust. Maddie swallowed. _Oh, Raph, I wish you were here… I'm scared. __"_You want your freak boyfriend here?_"He can read my thoughts?_ "Yes, I can read your thoughts. And you're right to be scared, you whore." He twisted his hand around farther, making a stronger pull on her hair. "…I have the power to make your life a living hell… as of yet I have no intention of doing otherwise." 

"Why… what do you want from me." She squeaked. He shook her around again, making her yell in pain. 

"You must give me your powers._ Give them to me." Geez, he's nuts!_ He kicked her shin. "_Give them to me now._" 

"Why should I you big jerk!" _I'm-not-scared-I'm-not-scared-I'm-not-scared. _ "Because… otherwise I'll leave you here to die." He brought her closer, almost nose to nose. "You'd like that?" She shivered a little under his gaze. "Hmm? …You ever want to see the boyfriend again?" 

"Of course." He looked at her a while longer, gauging her inclination to his wants. She was just thinking about the freak of a boyfriend. He reached beneath his shirt and took out the crystal necklace. 

"Touch your hand to it." He said quietly. Her eyes shifted down to it, the shimmering red crystal reflecting in her eyes. The light of the cavern began to turn red as she reached for it with shivering fingers. They touched the crystal side lightly, making it shiver as well. He closed his eyes, feeling her powers so close. He thought about having his way with her afterwards. 

Maddie grabbed hold the entire crystal and yanked it hard, breaking the chain. Nikira jerked his neck forward, a few broken links of chain flying off behind him into the water. She glared at him. 

"_Go to fucking hell, asshole!_" She threw the crystal far as she could behind her, splashing into the water. He snarled and tightened his grip on her hair. Almost as if he was pulling the lever for a lottery machine, he yanked her hair up, then down, sending her back into the water. She screamed as she crashed back under the surface, the pain more then double what it had been before. 

And there was no way back to the surface, she continued to sink for some reason. Farther and farther like a brick, until- 

A pair of hands grabbed around her neck, holding it tight. It was the traveler, his face twisted up into a snarl. His hands tightened around her and he began to shake her neck. She grabbed his wrists, trying to pull them off. But she was too weak now, her fingers couldn't grasp. 

Lonely air bubbles floated up to the surface. She was dead soon after he grabbed her throat. 

The body was set off, and drifted, down farther in the abyss. Strands of shimmering red hair drifted in space, beside a slowly sinking shoe. 

Fire and hot rock seared at Leonardos feet, permenantly blackening his soles. Giesers of flame blasted up from all directions of the tunnel, turning it to a gauntlet of fire. 

Leonardo fell to his knees, the remnants of his knee pads burning up on contact. Scabs of charred skin peeled off and simmered in the fire. One hand went to the side of his head, the other to the ground. A hiss like sigh passed his teeth, burning his mouth as he breathed in again. 

"Giving up so soon, advisor." Sound wafted down from the fire above. 

"Never." Leonardo took his hand from his forehead and put it on his thigh, looking upwards. Silence answered him and the traveler stepped down a staircase of fire. 

"Good. I'm looking forward to a fine show." 

"Don't be so cocky. A show is the last thing you're going to get." His hand turned to a fist, the knuckles resting on the ground. He would kill himself first. 

"That's what I've been hearing." 

"Well you heard right. So save yourself some time and send me back." A kick under his jaw sent Leonardo sprawling backwards. He reached back and grabbed a hold in the ground, stopping short of a creeping puddle of lava. A pissed off little huff passed his lips and he looked back around. 

"From this point forward you won't ask me for anything but mercy." Black eyes glared back at him. "Remember this." The traveler laid his finger to the scar down his eye. "You gave me that." 

"I remember." 

"I didn't appreciate it much." His hand fell back at his side. 

"I didn't mean it to." The traveler came forward as Leonardo smiled. 

"Now who's being cocky." He grabbed the rim of the shell and used it to force Leonardos head down on his knee with a jerk. Leonardo was lifted up by the shell and held up in the air, below the flaming ceiling. "I've been waiting to do this for a long time." Hot liquid rock splattered in all directions, climbing all over Leonardo as he came crashing into the pit. His yells echoed in the cavern, struggling to keep the most of himself he could above the surface. The traveler laughed and put a hand to his chest. "Oh yes." A long drip line of molten rock hardened from the ceiling, forming into a long hook. "That's it." 

Leonardo howled, wipping the hot lava away from his eyes frantically. "Well now. I'm not quite done with you yet." The crystal necklace was hung on the hook, swinging around below the fire. "You can wait here and think for awhile… I'll check in with you later." Boils and blistered festered under his skin, making his blackened skin itch and burn. The traveler chortled to himself, stepping back. A toothy grin grew on his face and he disapeared in a flicker of light. 


	17. chapter 17

Untitled Document Raphael flipped through a comic book, idely glancing at the pictures. The strange insense Splinter had burning in Maddie's room was making him want to sneeze like all get out. Splinter had claimed it was for peace of spirit, or some crazy boloney. Whatever it was, it wasn't working any miracles. She looked just as passed out as she was before. 

Raphael frowned and flipped a few more pages. He rubbed the tiny cuts on his arm absently and flicked at the scabs. Bad habit, eh? A stirring beside him drew his attention away and to the bed. Maddie sat up straight and opened her eyes. 

"By yggdrasil. I have returned." Raphael threw the comic aside and knelt on the edge of the bed. "Mine soul and mind ceded yet again to this new body." 

"Maddie, are you ok?" He swore under his breath as she looked at him, her eyes flaming red. 

"I see your old soul, my friend. Eyes so dark come so few a thousand." 

"Why are you talking like that? What the hell's goin' on?" 

"Foresooth. This young host has been summoned by a sorceror, dark and full of trickery." 

"Huh?" 

"Rused into a watery hole in the ground, elements crossed, and a smarting confrontation. Not the makings of memories." She crossed her arms shrewdly. 

"What happened?" 

"_Hah._ A presumptuous man. His crystal of stolen powers was made ill will of, his face tightened to a prune of indesgestion." She laughed. "He threw my adversarial self back into the sea, and took his hands to my neck." She shook her hair back, flaring up like a thick fire. "And hence my soul hath returned, with treasure befitting not the noblest of pirateers." With a few waves of her hand she produced a round red crystal, glittering like a tiny star. "Fire, sir, is indesructable, and fool hardy to try. None shall yay habit the day when my powers cease to nay bow to will of brazen theurgists." She flashed a smile. "Hath thou no words of praise? Or doth thine tounge be enraptured by mine body anew?" He stuttered for a moment. "Say curious not, Sire. Your indescresions are not of question. And alas, your young mind is compassed too play." 

"What? Maddie, what are you talking about? _Snap out of it will already!_" He shook her shoulder. The crystal rolled from her hand, jouncing on the mattress. Maddie blinked a few times, the strange red flame leaving her eyes. She stuttered for a moment, gaining her surroundings. "Mads? Is that you in there, babe?" 

"_Wha-_ huh?" She looked back at him. "_Raph?_ Is it really you?" He grabbed her hand. 

"Yeah babe, it's-" She grabbed him and held him close before he could finish . 

"Oh god, Raphy. I was so scared, it was so scary." She buried her face in his neck. "Please just hold me" 

"Yeah, sure." He put his arms around her back. She moaned and nuzzled his neck, her fingers curling around the tails of his bandana. She was cuddled up against him so long he wondered if she had fallen back into a coma. 

"These have been the worst days of my _life_" The words muffled in his shoulder. 

"Uh, Maddie... you've been out for weeks." She looked up at him. 

"What?" 

"3 weeks. Not days, yep know." 

"But, it's only been days!... How- 3 weeks?" He nodded. "That's so long!... School's started,... I missed cheerleader try-outs, and homecoming!" He cleared his throat. 

"Babe... we got bigger problems than try-outs." 

"If it's about my powers don't worry about it. I made short work of the travelers crystal." She grinned playfully. "At least I thought so." She looked off. 

"Maddie," The stern tone of his voice startled her. "......Its Splinter." 

"_And Jimmy?!_" Erika clutched the strange new crystal to her chest, her eyes nearly popping out of her head. Lita put her palms out and shrugged helplessly. "But how?! How did he find us all!" 

"I donno... I just remember when they dragged Splinter out." Erika fell back in bed, looking up at the ceiling. 

"We chased the m into the sewer, but they were too fast... Then they all dematerialized into air... I ran some tests, but- there wasn't anything to trace, I swear." Donatello fiddled with a hangnail, trying quickly to explain himself to Noriko. She looked at him blankly, holding the elemental crystal to her stomach. Michelangelo came to stand in the doorway to Ojisan Tagahasis' room, leaning against the doorframe. It was just after three in the morning, rainwater from the surface wushed through the pipes above, and outside in the open sewers. Donatello mumbled to himself, trying to think up something else to tell her. 

"¼The traveler said something about looking into my memories, he must've seen this place from there." 

"He said he could read my thoughts. I don't know what else he saw." Maddie sat back on her legs, looking at the red crystal rolling between her hands. Raphael picked his comic book back up and laid in on the stack on her night stand. "This is terrible." 

"Mmm." 

"Raphy, tell me everything that happened." She took his hand and pulled her back onto bed with her. He sat down on the side of the bed and sighed, starting to take his bandana back off. "Please." 

Raphael turned over onto his stomach, smothering his face in the pillow. After a few moments his breath ran out and he had to come up for air. The bedroom was dark and boring, the high pitched sound of nothingness peircing his ears. Whatever sleeping hormones he had we all drained, there was no rest left in him for the rest of the night. 

He grumbled and threw the covers off, kicking them with his feet. The cold cement made his feet tighten in response, colder then usual. He grabbed the kimono robe off the floor on his way out, tying it as he walked. Why was it so cold out here? The temperture was several noticable degrees lower then it usually was on fall nights. He went straight into the kitchen and to the refridgerator. There were a few beers hidden behind the lettuce crisper, he grabbed one. He gave the fridge door a bump with his elbow and cracked open the can. Out in the open sewer water sloshed like a little river. They had been having some major freak storms lately. Splinter said it had to do with what Leo and the girls were experiencing. _Crazy mumbo jumbo._ He plopped down on the couch and grabbed the remote. 

An hour or so later some stirring grabbing Raphael's attention from the upstairs hall. It was like scraping metal, and some banging. He glanced at the pile of beer cans on the coffee table, wishing he wasn't as tipsy. Still, he bumbled off the couch and shook some sense into himself. The buzz receded a bit as Donatello came out of his room, hearing the same noise. They both faced the hallway and watched. 

Soon a black tail swished out. Back and forth. Back and forth as if it was agitated. It started backing out farther, the long scaly black tail stepping out into space. They both raised their hands up in defense as the short black dragon creature backed out, transparent wings outstretched. It grabbed the load it was carrying tighter and dragged it out over the edge of the hallway. Jimmy. 

His cast had torn away till the metal brace dragged against the concrete. His wrists and mouth were bound, he still wore pajama pants and tee shirt, his hair disheveled from sleep. He squirmed around frantically, held by his armpits, and hanging in air. 

"_Hey!_" The creature looked at Raphael, red glowing eyes glowering. It hissed a warning and hastily lowered Jimmy down to the hands of another dragon waiting below. "Drop him!" 

"Mike, get your ass up!" Donatello called. The dragon from the hallway lept down and jumped in front of his partner, waving it's claws in the air. "What the hell is that thing?" 

"_HSSSSSSSSSSSS**!**_" 

"Whatever the fuck it is, it's dead!" Raphael charged. Donatello turned as a series of crashes came from the kitchen, glass smashing. Mike came running out of his room as Splinter howled from behind the closed door. The two of them took off in a sprint for the door, and were knocked back when it flew open. Another black dragon hissed at them from the shadow, dragging Splinter out by his ankle. 

"_Take it up the ass, motha-fucka!_" Raphael grabbed his partner by the wing and slung him off into the wall. It squealed, crumpling on the floor. "S'right, blow hole!" 

"_M-Master Splinter!_" Michelangelo scurried back to his feet and made a running jump kick at the dragon. "_Yaaaaaaaaaa!_" His foot hit him right in the shoulder, throwing off his balance. Donatello came up from an angle, tackling the dragon onto the ground and pinning his wing down with his knee. 

"_Eat water, dirtbag!_" Lita jumped out of the hallway, spirals of water shooting from her hands into Raphaels dragon coming up off the ground. "_Ha ha!_ Whoops." She pulled the strap of her nightie back up. 

"_**Hssssssssssh!**_" The dragon under Donatello threw him off, flaring it's nostrils. Donatello fell into the chair, knocking it and the little table beside it over. Another dragon came out from the kitchen and slung Splinter over his shoulder. This was the first time any of them noticed the bleeding hole looking through the rats chest. Which explained why he had been so silent. 

"_Son of a-_" Raphael was grabbed and shoved back into Lita, sending them both to the ground. The first dragon whipped his tail and hissed, unfolding its wings. The four dragons made a hasty retreat with Splinter and Jimmy, whipping their tails around behind them. A lamp was knocked over onto Raphael, shattering glass everywhere. 

"_**HSSSSSSSSSSSH!**_" They disapeared into the sewers, communal hissings beginning to fade. Donatello and Raphael stood back up, pushing the furniture out of their way. Mike jumped over the broken glass towards the door. 

"_Lita, stay here!_" Raphael called back before the door fell back into place. 

"Over here!" Michelangelo pivoted a corner and followed the upset water, chasing the dragons to a three way elbow. Raph and Don fell in behind him, kicking up water. "_Gotcha!_" Mike jumped and landed on someones back. "_Ha ha!_ Wo-_Woah!_" He fell into the water, the dragon fading into air. The other three disapeared in front of their eyes, Splinter and Jimmy following suit. Raph and Don stopped just short of tripping over Michelangelo. "What the?" 

"_DAMN IT! You Mother Fuckers!_" Raphael waved his fists around in the glittery air. "**I swear ta god! I'm gunna kill_ you all!_**" ..¼.. 

"Oh Raph, that's terrible." Maddie took Raphaels hand and held it to her chest. He nodded vaguely, rolling his bandana around between his fingers. "I'm so sorry I wasn't here." 

"Don't worry about it, babe." He opened his eyes and picked up the red crystal. "Least you got something while ya were away." She looked down at it. 

"Oh, yeah... guess so." He held it up to the light. "I wonder why it's here." 

"I don't know." Donatello took the crystal ball from Norikos open hand. "Maybe..." He rolled it around in his hands. "Since you found your way back... you won back the parts of the crystal you lost. _Equitability,_ you know." 

"Equit-a-what-a-tee?" Michelangelo spoke up. Donatello cleared his throat. 

"She won the conflict so she got her things back. If she lost, she would've lost her basic powers like she said. Equitability. Get it?" 

"Yeah. Got it." 

"So now that we have these, we can do something about finding Splinter and Jimmy. Handy, eh?" He tossed it back to Noriko. "What do you think." She looked into the crystal. 

"...By yggdrasil, Donatello-" 

"We'll save Jimmy and Splinter. I _promise!_" Lita took Erika's hand, trying to stop her silent crying. She huffed and wipped the tears away on hearing it, sitting back up in bed. 

"Nobody takes my little brother and gets away with it." 

"_Right on!_ And _nobody_ takes our... um... rat... _and gets away with it!_" She waved her fist about. 

"Our 'rat'?" Michelangelo came to stand in the doorway. 

"Oh, hee hee hee." Lita looked around and grinned sheepishly. "But that's not the point!" She stood up. "As soon as Leonardo wakes up we're leaving." 

"How do you propose we do that." Michelangelo examined his nails. 

"We'll take the crystals and use them to twist the universe into funnel for a brief second, then we'll warp ourselves through backwards to the seventh dimension." Michelangelo raised an eyebrow. "That'll take us back to the last place we've been, namely-" She smacked her palm with her fist. "The matrix asteroid. And when we're there, we're going to find the rest of the sorcerors and challenge them to battle." 

"You think we'll win?" He asked. 

"... No matter what the outcome is, we're coming out on top, Mike. I promise." He gave her an incredulous look. "I saw it on a show. _You know what I mean!_" He smirked. "There's twenty bucks under the fish bowl in my room, go get Don and grab some pizza." 

"Got it." He turned and left. Erika swung her legs over the side of the bed. 

"Lita, _you're_ not ready for a fight. You don't even have your crystal." 

"Oh, _ha ha ha_," Lita laughed and scratched the back of her head. "Looks like it's too late to worry about that now, huh!" Erika frowned. "I'll get you something to drink... and don't look at me like that!" 

"_**ARRRRRRRRGH!**_" 

"_**LEEEEEOOO!! OH GOD! HELP US!! RHAAAAA!**_" 

"_**O-O-O-OH GOOOOOOOOD!**_" 

"_Guys?! Where are you! What's wrong?!_" Leonardo turned in circles, surrounded by a blackness. 

"_**AAAAAAAAAARRG!**_" 

"_Mike! Mike, where are you?!_" He ran in the direction of Mike's voice. 

"_**OH GOD, IT HURTS!!**_" 

"_MIKE!_" 

"_**O-O-O-O-OH JESUS!!**_" 

"_RAPH!_" Leonardo stopped short and turned in another direction. "_WHERE ARE YOU?!_" Another scream answered him before he could get the last of his words out. "_**ANSWER ME, DAMN IT!**_" 

"_Dear **God** Leo, **Help Us!**_" 

"_Leo, **Please!**_" 

"_**Don! Raph!** Where are you guys!_" Leonardo turned in circles. Michelangelos sobbings pierced his mind, like hundreds of stabbing rapiers. He clutched his head and cringed. Raphael and Donotellos' deep blood curtling screams joined in chorus, each from directions he couldn't pinpoint. Leonardo fell to his knees. "_**AAAAAAAAAARRG!**_

_clink-clink-clink_

A soft tinkle broke through the other noise, shattering Leonardos' overwhelming focus. He opened his eyes, presented with the crystal necklace. It lay on the floor in disaray, with no art left to it. His brothers' screams receded to a dull roar in the back of his mind, threatening to return at the dropping of a hat. He took a hand away from his head. _¼What could it hurt to try¼_ His hand slowly reach out, hovering over the crystal. It glowed towards him with a calming blue. He let out his breath and land his hand over the necklace. 

"I think he's coming out of it." 

"Hey Leo, Leo wake up..." 

"Dude, splash some water on him." 

"Don't be a dope, Mike. Just let him wake up." Leonardo cringed and turned his head to the side. 

"Shut up, man." Raphaels voice. Leonardo opened his eyes slowly, wondering when he had closed them. Three sets of eyes looked back at him with glimmerings of hopefulness. He looked around between them, all standing around his bed. "Leo?" 

"...You guys are ok?" Mike looked between his brothers, as if coming to a silent consensus. 

"Yeah, we're good." A cheery smile popped up. "What's up with your comatose ass...DUDE?" He smacked Leos' foot. 

"Cut it out, dumbass." Raph slapped Mikes shoulder. "Don't smack him." 

"Owie." Mike rubbed his shoulder. 

"Where's, what happened." Leonardo shimmied up to a sitting position against the wall. "How long have I been asleep?" 

"3 days, man. Like a log." Raph grinned. "What's up with _that_." Leonardo rubbed his head. 

"I was called into the astral plane... at least I thought so." 

"Astral plane? That's a bunch of poppy cock." 

"What?" 

"It was just a bad dream, Leo." Donatello said. "Splinter _says_ so." 

"Splinter?" 

"Yeah, dude." Mike said. "He said you were havin' some¼ delusional episode¼ 'er something. Talking in your sleep." 

"_Delusional episode?_" Leonardo looked between his brothers. "...No... it was too real." They shrugged. "The girls. They were there, where are they." 

"Watchin' tv." Raph said. "And-" 

_Knock-knock_

They looked behind them to the door. It opened quietly and Lita looked in. "Hey Lita." She smiled. 

"Hey guys." She stepped into the room. "Um," She cleared her throat softly. "Would you excuse us." 

"Yeah, sure." Mike said before they filed out of the room. Lita stepped out of the way and closed the door after Donatello. Leonardo pushed the blanket around his thighs and sat back against the wall. 

"How you feeling?" 

"Fine." 

"Alright if I come in?" He nodded. "Cool." She came up to the bed and sat down on the edge. "Scared the jimmys out of me, you know." She laughed and scratched the back of her neck. 

"It scared you?" 

"Yeah, I mean... oh never mind." She said softly, scratching her hair. "But you're ok, right?" 

"Yeah... yeah, I'm alright." She smiled. "You're sure the other girls are ok?" She looked at him curiously. 

"Yeah, they're fine. Why?" 

"Nothing. It's fine." 

"Oh. Ok." Leonardo swallowed and started looking around his room. It seemed so strange now in the room... kind of cold too. "You look kind of tense." He looked back at Lita, and for the first time he noticed he was a little tense. He rubbed his shoulder. 

"Yes." 

"Here." She climbed onto the bed, straddling his legs. Her hands went up to his shoulders and began massaging them methodically. Leonardo nearly jumped out of his shell upon this. "How's that?" 

"That's uh... that's good." Lita smiled. Leonardo looked between both her hands as they worked around his collar bone, and down his arms. His muscles oddly enough responded to her fingers, slowly turning to putty. He'd always questioned her virtuousity, but jeez. She kneaded her fingers into his muscle, pushing the skin up, then smoothing it back into place. A low groan got trapped in the back of his throat. Lita smiled. Her hands moved down his arms, he laid his head back against the wall and closed his eyes. The sensation slowly began to overtake him. Leonardo started to relax against his will. His mind screamed at him to stop her, but the rest of his body allowed Lita to go on. 

"Like that?" 

"Lita-" He felt fingers lay over his lips. For crying out loud.... 

"I need to work in silence." They left his lips and went back to his shoulder. Leonardo opened his eyes and watched her. She wasn't looking back at him, just smiling faintly. Her eyes followed her hands, running up and down his arms. Why was she making this so personal. What was mildly acceptable suddenly now creeped the hell out of him."I never relized you were so strong-" 

"Lita, stop." He grabbed her wrist. She looked up startledly and stopped. "Cut it out." 

"Cut what out? I'm just trying to make you feel better." 

"Why are you doing it?" 

"Doing what?" She asked softly. He looked at her hand. 

"Lita, you're... _Lita,_" He turned her hand around. 

"What?" She looked at it too. He grabbed her other arm and held it against the first. She looked between the two curiously. 

"What happened to the scars?" 

"What scars?" He turned her wrists around. 

"The scars you have from handcuffs." He never had forgotten about the scars she had retained from years of being chained. It had imprinted itself in his mind with crystal clear precision. 

"Oh, _right,_" He grabbed Litas waist and threw her off, into the corner. "_**Eeeeeeeek!**_" 

"_Lita?!_" Splinter was coming. Was he? Was any of this real?! Leonardo threw the blankets off and sat up. 

"You have no honor." Lita rolled back onto her hands and knees and smiled. Her eyes turned from brown to a lime green 

"Can you blame me for trying?" 

"Never assume her form again, you monster." 

"Oo, little mister snippy." She said quietly. 

"I'll give you 5 seconds, and if I'm not back in my own home-" 

"You'll what." She cut him off. "Shake your fist at me? Bring it on." She smiled with innocence. "I was just giving you what you wanted. Don't try to deny it." Leonardo growled and launched himself off the bed. At that moment Splinter sprung into the room, standing ground between Leonardo and Lita. Leo managed to roll out of the dive and hit the floor, rolling onto his knees. Lita chortled. "If you want me now, you'll have to get through him first it seems." 

"Do you always hid behind trickery?" 

"Sour words from a sour loser." Leonardo flipped to his feet and darted left. Splinter followed suit, blocking his way. 

"Leonardo-san. You are my son, I have raised you to be an honorable man I believe. You know what's to be done." What the hell does that mean? 

"This is an illusion." Leonardo tried to push Splinter out of the way as he darted the otherway. Instead he tripped over Splinters foot and was whirled back into place like a dancing doll. 

"Maybe it is, maybe it isn't. What I'm asking is, are you willing to cream your sensei in order to find out." Lita grinned and rocked back on her heels. 

"If he was real he wouldn't be here." Leonardo back up to the other wall. "So yes, he's an illusion." Lita sighed. 

"If you say so." 

"It's all an illusion." She looked down at her chest. 

"Doesn't look like it from here." She touched her breast. "I like her already." 

"_Stop that!_" Lita looked up and laughed. 

"Make me, boy." 

"Leonardo, you will know what to do." Splinter said quietly. 

"So you say this is all a figment of my imagination." Leonardo took down his swords from the hooks on the wall while Splinter still blocked Litas' view. 

"_No._ This is all a figment of _my_ imagination." He raised his swords. "_You_'re a guest of _my_ mind. So _you_'ll play _my_ games." 

"_I will certainly not._" He parried his swords. "And I demand you release me." Lita blabbed her mouth and rolled her eyes. 

"Bull pockey. I'm enjoying this much too much." 

"I told you before, I won't be here for your enjoyment." He bounced a little to settle into step. Lita snarled. 

"I've waited 3 months for this... your life is mine till I'm done with you." She grinned mischeiviously. 

"You know what's to be done, Leonardo." Splinter chimed quietly. Leonardo glances between the two, keeping his space. His master guarded the sorceror, and his own skills were of no match for his Master. At least he was being told so. He furrowed his brow, gripping the hilts of his swords. _Well, it's worth a try._

"You cannot deny me a life without honor." Leonardo changed the grip of his hilt, placing the tip of the sword between the center crease in his chest plate. Lita shoved Splinter out of the way and went to grab it. _Too late._ He shoved the blade through the armor of his shell and gritted his teeth. Lita snarled and wrapped her hands around his neck. 

Leonardo opened his eyes and sat up. Lita sat in a chair in the corner of the room, looking at her hand. He lifted the sheet up and looked down at his chest, but there were no bandages from being revived and bandaged. His swords were hung back on his wall. 

"Fine then, we'll see how this suits you." He rolled out of bed and grabbed the swords in a swift moment. 

"Huh?" He shoved the bed against the door, jamming it shut. 

"This time it's just you and me." Lita stood up. 

"Leonardo, what the hell are you talking about? Wake up, dingus!" He pointed the sword to her throat, the tip just under her chin. "Or... or not." 

"I'll kill you here and now, dog." 

"Dog?" 

"You have nothing to hid behind now-" Lita burst into tears. "And... uh... and..." 

"_You big jerk! You go all comatose, and make me worry, scare the hell out of every one, then you try to kill me and call me a dog, and throw furniture around! You big stupid jerk!_" He pulled the sword back slightly. "_You were nicer when you passed out!_" 

"_Lita? You ok?!_" Raphael pounded on the door, trying to open it. Leonardo took his sword back. 

"Oh... _Lita_." Leonardo set the katanas on his bed and pulled it back away from the door. "I'm sorry, I didn't know it was you." The door opened and Raph and Mike came in. 

"_Jerk!_" Lita kicked him in the shin before she left. 

"_Leo!_" Mike jumped on him and hugged him, sending them both onto the floor. "Huzzah!" 

"Oof." Leonardo landed on his shell with a thud. 

"Mike, will you-" Raphael pulled him off and helped Leonardo back to his feet. "Moron." Mike giggled uncontrolably. 

"Man, am I glad to see you guys." Leonardo leaned on the bed and sat himself down. Mike hopped down next to him, making the matress bounce. "What a refreshing reality." 

"Yeah, big desert, bunch of suns, tall white haired guy. Right?" Mike hopped onto the bed beside him. 

"Yes. That's right." 

"How'd you bite the bullet?" Mike grinned. "Noriko exploded. Hee hee!" 

"Imploded." Raphael corrected. 

"Oh. Right. _Ouch._" Leonardo closed his eyes and put his hand to his forehead. 

"Look guys, I'm kind of tired-" 

"Come on Mike." Raph grabbed his arm. "Let's go." 

"_Hey!_" He was yanked off the bed and toward the door. "But we-" 

"Just snooze for awhile, man. We'll check ya later." Raph gave Mike another yank out the door and closed it after both of them. 

"Yeah. Thanks." Leonardo mumbled. He waited till his head stopped spinning before he fell back on the bed. "Thanks a lot." He made himself close his eyes. But there wasn't time to rest, 20 minutes later they came back and urged him back up, saying something about something important they had to do. "What are you talking about? You're both ok?" He looked between the two of them. 

"Yeah, course we're fine." Raph said. 

"Is everyone alright?" Mike laughed nervously. "What?" 

"You guys ready to go?" Lita peeked her head into the room. 

"Now?" Raph asked. 

"Well _duh._" She left again. Leonardo followed her out, stumbling out of the room. 

"Wait a second. What do you mean, 'go'." He followed her through the living room into the kitchen. She poured herself a glass of water. 

"Oh, I thought you'd be ready to up and go with us. But if you want to rest for awhile, peachy keen." She hoisted herself onto the counter. 

"Just hold on a minute. Why are we going _anywhere_?" She paused before taking a drink. 

"...Didn't the guys tell you?" 

"Tell me what." Michelangelo came into the kitchen and stopped short just as he came in. They both looked at him. Lita cleared her throat. 

"They took Splinter... and Jimmy." Leonardo looked at her for a long time. Then sighed and sat down, resting his forehead in his hand. 

"... I thought we were gunna tell him." Mike looked at Lita. She shrugged. 

"When." Leonardo asked. 

"Last week." 

"Why didn't you stop them." 

"Mike, go get the girls to the dojo, we'll meet you there." Mike nodded and left. 

"Wait a minute-" 

"We _tried_ to stop them, you know. It wasn't for any lack of effort." Lita drank her water. He turned back to her again. 

"What did you say?" 

"They came at night, element of surprise I think they call it." 

"... That's right." 

"Yeah, well we chased them out into the sewers, but they did some disapearing act." 

"Then what." 

"_Then_ last Saturday Maddie, Erika, and Noriko all woke up and told us about the desert and the sorceror, so we put two and two together." He crossed his arms. "And how we planning to rectify the situation?" She giggled. 

"Rectify." He gave her a look a look and she stopped. "Right. We're going to transport ourselves to the other dimension, that's where I think they're keeping Splinter and Flash, then we're going to raid the fortress, find them, and leave. I was just waiting for you to wake up so we could all go." 

"Oh... I see." 

"Proud of me?" She grinned. 

"Yes." 

"_What?_ You'll have to speak up, there was something crazy in my ear." She chuckled. He came up to the counter and put his hand on her shoulder. The glass froze in place in front of her mouth and he gripped her shoulder. 

"Thank you. It's nice to see things in place." He smirked. "You'd be surprised how often things will go to pot in a week." 

"Three weeks." She corrected. 

"Yes, well..." When he failed to remove his hand she looked down at it. Her eyes drifted back up and darted between his eyes. She looked up at him for a long time, hardly breathing. He looked like he might say something else, but instead he removed his hand quickly. "Well, we've got a lot of work to do, so lets get to it." 


	18. chapter 18

Untitled Document

"Well, we've got a lot of work to do, so lets get to it." 

"Mmm." She downed the rest of the glass. _bonk._ "_Ow!_" Leonardo turned back and watched as a blue crystal ball rolled out of the glass and into Lita's lap, after rolling into her nose. "What the hell?" 

"It's the element crystal." She picked it up. 

"Oh yeah, I was wondering if it was going to show up." She laughed and scratched the back of her neck. "Neato." 

"Come on." Leonardo turned back and walked out through the living room. Lita followed him out and to the dojo, holding the crystal to any light source. 

"It's so pretty." She chirped. 

"Mmm." 

"Makes my fingers all tingly." She giggled. 

"Leo dude, you ok?" Donatello was waiting by the door with a bag of food as they came in and put his hand on Leonardos shell. 

"Yeah, I'm ready. Don't worry about it." Donatello patted his shell and walked him into the pitch black dojo where the others waited. 

"Leo, you don't want to wait?" Noriko asked. 

"Time is of the essense, Noriko. I appreciate your concern though. Let's get this done with." Leonardo lead her in with the others and greeted Maddie and Erika. Lita came and herded them all off into the center of the dojo while Don gave him a hasty briefing on what they were about to attempt, and the procedure for it. The four of them organized themselves into a square, settling down onto their knees. By the speed and angle precision they executed it with it was evident that they had been practicing at some point. Lita looked over her shoulder to the turtles and they all broke from their huddle around Leonardo, and took their places in the center of the square, kneeling in front of their respective elementals. Leonardo followed suit, settling onto his knees as Lita set her glass beside her. 

"Uno." Lita said, responded by the girls each setting their crystals in front of them, equally spaced between themselves and the turtles. "Dos." The turtles reached out and cupped the crystals in their hands. Lita directed Leonardo what to do for that, the only part he really needed to be there for. "Tres." 

Noriko fished a handful of dirt from her pocket and held it out over the dark green crystal. She let it sift through her fingers onto a small cone atop the crystal. Maddie palmed a book of matches, ripping out a match. She lit a small flame into her hand, letting it flare up before she lowered it down onto the crystal. The top fired up with the small flame and managed to maintained it after she took her hands back. Erika leaned down and blew on the air crystal. A small whirlwind circled over it slowly, she leaned back up. Lita took the glass of water and poured it over her crystal. The dojo brightened slightly, the air turned wavy as if it was filled with natural gas. The girls lowered their heads and closed their eyes, talking inaudibly to themselves. 

The crystals began to glow and spin, picking up speed slowly. The light spheres began to expand exponentially till it encompassed the eight of them, then froze. It felt as if gravity had no hold on them, only their conscienceness kept them from disipating into the light. 

"_The only exclusive factor shared with none of the four elements is light, where each element is equal amunst the others, and where each together may travel in equilibrium._" A voice came from the center of the sphere, which only Leonardo recognized. King Artimus. Although now it sounded kind of like Splinter. 

Leonardo looked down at the crystal in his hands, holding it steady. It seemed now to be a globe of water, swirling frantically in his hands. He couldn't feel the same tingle Lita had. For some reason he wanted to. So many things to think about. He gave the crystal a small squeeze and it bounced right back, like a toy. A very dangerous toy. He decided to try not to kill them all and left it alone. 

Shards of light broke out of the surface out of the crystal, like several knives punching out from within. The splices seemed more frequent, and to speed up as time space slowed down. Leonardo forced his eyes closed and turned his head away as the light became too intense, like hundreds of tiny bright fireworks going off in his head with astonishing speed. He struggled to keep hold of the sphere as time slowed to a stop. It shivered with unstable energy, threatening to burst out if he didn't keep it under wraps. His wrists ached, and the joints in his fingers felt like they were breaking apart. But he wouldn't let go. 

Leonardo locked his hands in place and looked up to check his surroundings, wondering if he was the only one of them in need of help. But there was no need to wonder any longer. When he looked up he found that his surroundings had changed... much. The familiar musty smelling dojo was replaced with a stone floor, chipped, cracked, and demolished statues cluttered the ground here and there. There was no ceiling, they were outside somewhere. It looked like an outdoor courtyard, colluseum like structures made the buildings of a maze like cenrtiole they sat in. It was dark out, strange shadows cast by purple torches revealed the results of what appeared to be the aftereffects of a dynamic earthquake. Ravines remained where they had split the ground, stone slabs of the ground teetering inwards. Others jutted upwards in waves, where the ground had crumpled in on itself. Huge stone pillars lay on their sides apathetically, cracking and chipping through the wear of age. The only signs of life here were the torches left burning. The sad thing was to him, 

This used to be home. 

Leonardo looked back as the crystal was lifted from his hands. Lita stood up and began an investagation of the surroundings. 

"Wow." Mike gave the crystal back to Erika and stood up. Donatello followed him to the ravine and they both looked in, like children exploring the fun they could have with a trickle of water through dirt. "...._Hello down there!_" He called down, hearing his voice echo back. He snickered. 

"Quit goofin'." Raph climbed back to his feet. "We're not here to fuck around." 

"Yeah Mike," Don took his arm to pull him back. "Let's go-_awaaa!_" His foot slid on the tilted stone slab he stood on, taking his balance and sliding the both of them down the canyon. 

"_Don!_" Leonardo barked. 

A green vine shot out, winding around the brothers arms like a whip and stopping the both of them short. Their feet fell from under them and they hit their shells on the stone. The vine retracted and pulled them back up the slide toward solid ground, a series of the stones making a loud cracking descent into the canyon from the uproar. 

Noriko recall the vine back to her wrist, disapearing back again to oblivion with a modest 'Shoop'. Mike and Don laid on the ground for a second before jumping back up and moving away from the ravine. They were at least 50 yards away from where Noriko stood. 

"Amazing. That's at least 100 feet farther then usual." Donatello dusted himself off. Noriko looked at the crystal. 

"It's the crystal. I can feel the power." She held it in both hands, gentle green light emanating through her fingers. White air swirled around Erika as she held the crystal up, swaying her hair around her like feathers. 

"Yes." She agreed. "It's so beautiful." 

"Handy too." Mike mumbled, rubbing a sore spot on his arm. Maddie stood up and smoothed down her skirt, taking her crystal up. She joined Raphael and put her hand on his shoulder. 

"Something wrong?" She whispered into his shoulder. "Naw." He looked down at her as she rested the side of her head on her hand, her hair trailing down his arm. She had these beautiful blue eyes, little flecks of green speckling here and there. He felt in the mood to get lost in them for awhile. "This place creeps the hell outa me. Just wanna get Splinter and get the fuck outa here." She smiled and gave his shoulder a little squeeze. 

"Let's start moving." Leonardo called, taking one of the torches down from the pillars. Michelangelo turned around in a circle as Leo rejoined the group. 

"Where are we moving?" He asked. 

"There." Lita pointed above the horizon of the pillar tops, to tall columns broken into steeples, far far away, that jutted up where a great fortess once stood. 

Jimmy carefully lifted Splinters head, placing his balled up tee shirt under his neck. The bloodflow from his chest had stopped, leaving a mat of black sticky fur around the hole. Splinter lowered his head down and closed his eyes, his dry nose itching and flaking. 

"Thank you, child." Jimmy sat back. "You comfort this old mans bones." 

"Um.,,, you better not talk. Conserve your energy and stuff." Splinter shook his head and opened his eyes. 

"No, Jimmy. My time is growing shorter. There is something I must tell you before the creatures return." 

"....yeah?" 

"It is,,, why we've been brought here *cough cough*" Splinter turned his head to the side and coughed into his palm. Flash went to help him, but his furry hand took his arm and urged him back. Flash settled down on the cold stone floor, setting his wounded leg out since it had been aching while he sat on it. 

"Your sister is not the only one of your family who holds the blood of royalty. For _you,_ Jim-san. You are a prince, sent to Earth with the elementals to live. I am much assured that you, are the son of the king..... And the future heir to the throne of Selphi. 

You see why you have been brought here." Splinter motioned to the dark stone ceilingless room, the top of the spire appeared to have been snapped off like a twig. "You will one day rule.... a great kingdom...." He lowered his hand. "The turtles will rule beside you... with the elemental princesses.... your sister.... dependent on your escape of this fortress." _Erika? A princess?!_

"_Master Splinter!_ I'm no Prince, _really!_ I, I can't rule Erika's kingdom! I, I can't do nothing like th-" 

"Shhhhh." Splinter hissed quietly. "The future, Jim-san. You will rule in the future." He chuckled quietly. He was doing a lot of things quietly. "There is much for you to learn, much for you to adventure before.... before you cede _any_ throne." Flash slumped his shoulders and looked at his knee. What was he supposed to say then? "....There was much I hoped to teach you, before my time. So much to show you." 

"Splinter. Don't talk like that." Flash whispered, as if someone outside might hear and get some idea. 

"....I was once your father, Flash." 

_Whu-huh?!_

"In Selphi. You were my youngest son. And I was King. You were spared the life of the rest of our court, and taken with us." Splinter turned his head to look at Flash. "...I'm glad now you were." 

_S-blip... S-blip-blip_

"What was that?" Donatello jerked his head to the right, straining his eyes for light. Mike laughed. 

"You're anal." 

"Shut up, Mike. I hear it too." Leonardo put his hand on Michelangelos chest and stopped him from walking. The rest stopped and looked around. 

_Blip-blip-blip-blip_

"There it is." Donatello jerked his head around the other way. The eight stood in the middle of a cobblestone road, Leonardos' torch throwing strange shadows over their faces. Short dank colluseums trapped them in from the sides, and fallen columns and statues made an obstical course to exit the scene. "Sounds like... a broken faucet." 

"What the hell is that?" Raphael took a step towards one of the statues. The stone was changing form, the outermost extremities turning to clear water, and dripping off the stones onto the ground. The only statue the phenomenom effected was one of a young woman, with long hair, and clothes that draped off her arms. There was something foreboding about the puddle of clear liquid that formed beneath her. Something threatening almost. "Shit, that's-" 

"Let's keep moving." Leonardo motioned his arm forward, away from the statue. 

"Hey, wait." Lita walked up to it. "It's that chick, remember?" She turned her head back to Leonardo. "The one from the ocean." 

"Lita, wait-" She reached out and touched the dripping fingers. 

"It's _her_." As soon as their fingers touched the rest of the statue transformed completely to water, dropping to the ground in a splatter. Lita yelped and jumped back. 

The water spread out on contact, like a water balloon hitting the ground. As soon as it reached it maximum diameter however it immediately began pulling itself back together. In the course of thirty seconds or so the form reshaped, erecting out of the puddle. But she was still water. Tall, statuesque... water. Lita backed up next to Donatello. 

"Mmmmmm," The woman closed her eyes and stretched her arms out, arching her chest forward. "That feels nice." She sighed without opening her eyes. 

"Who is she." Noriko whispered to Donatello. Not entirely soft enough. 

"Who am I?" The woman opened her eyes, breaking out of the stretch. "Why, I am Naiya of the water." She raised her chin up and her hair fell down her back ina water fall, being absorbed back again through her feet. "The great-" 

"Water sorceress." Lita finished. Naiya looked at her and cocked her head contestingly. "The sixth sorceress of the ancients." 

"Your memory serves you well." Lita smiled with forced graciousness and stepped back closer to Donatello. "Now it is the time of water." A few spurts of water shot up from the ground. Lita looked down at them and frowned, taking it now as some insulting against herself. She looked up at Naiya and was glared at. 

"I remember when I put you in that stone you old witch," Lita glared back. "I have half a mind to do it again!" She began taking the water crystal out. Naiya threw her hands up, and a column of water flew out from the ground towards the sky. The turtles and the girls were thrown apart, blasted far from their grounds. Naiya laughed as they flew through the air, particularly when Lita landed on her stomach. "Oof ...Maddie, get off me!" Lita said, trying to sit up. 

"Oh, _sorry_." Maddie climbed up onto her knees and stood up quickly. "Here." She took Lita's hand and pulled her up. 

"Fucking bitch." Raphael got back to his feet, glowering at the sorcoress. Off in the distance he could see Leo, Mike, Noriko and Erika climbing back to their feet. 

"That whore is _so_ dead!" Lita started back for their point of origin when Donatello grabbed her arm. 

"Wait a minute, Lita." 

"What?!" He took his hand back. She looked pissed. 

"If we're going to fight we should at least cross the elements." He backed up. "You know?" 

"Whateva' yer dreamin' up, better spit it out soon. She's comin' back for seconds." Raphael commented. Water began seeping through the cracks of the stone slabs they stood on as they spoke, bubbling up and spitting ocassionally. 

"Why fight water against water, when we can use _fire_, get it?" Donatello spoke quickly as the water continued to bubble up. "_Crossing the elements._" 

"I get it." Maddie started in a jog back for the sorceress, taking out her crystal. Water splashed up from her heels, splishing back down in time with her footsteps. _This chick is mine._ "Hey, Bi-otch!" She called. 

"Well excuse me?" Naiya looked around at stopped to face her. "Do you challenge the water era?" 

"Damn fucking straight- Take a bite of this, Whore!" Maddie held the crystal to her chest. She closed her eyes and waited for the transformation. Red sparks began freckling out. Nothing impressive in particular. 

"Aw shit." Raphael rolled his eyes. Naiya crossed her arms, raising an eyebrow. 

_What the hell is wrong with this? Why can't I transform?_ Maddie looked down at the crystal. _Come on, you. **Work**_

"You're power isn't pure enough for the crystal. It's useless with you." Maddie looked up at Naiya. "You haven't trained your elementals well." She laughed and looked back at Leo and Mike, then around to Don and Raph. Maddie looked back at Raphael. _...I'm sorry Raph. I can't do it._ He looked pretty pissed off. Maddie swallowed her pride and looked down at the crystal. _are my powers really unpure?_ She looked back at Raphael. His face had softened just so, and he gave her a sad wink. She smiled. 

"...You're wrong." Maddie looked back up at Naiya. "My power is pure." She held the crystal back to her chest, and Naiya's silly laughter was soon drowned out. The freckling of sparks swiftly grew into long streams of fire, flying out from the center of the crystal. They curved around her in long dives, blowing her hair and skirt behind her. Streams of fire surrounded her body like ribbons, and she tilted her chin up. 

Raphael mumbled some obscenities and took a tentative step forward. A blinding light flashed, and for a brief second the asteroid was illuminated with an ethereal white light. Raphael squinted his eyes, trying to keep track of Maddie....For a moment it looked like two feathered angel wings extended from her back, with a majestic wingspan. But when the light receded they weren't there. 

Maddie looked down at herself after the fire streams had disapeared. She still hadn't transformed. Instead she was dressed in a ragged gauzy red dress, coming scandelously high on her legs. Her hair felt wild and untamed, tosled about boisterously. It even felt _redder_. The crystal itself had turned to a red choker necklace, with a crystal halved sphere embedded to the center. _Well... whatever works._

"You _do_ wish to fight me?" Naiya drifted a little farther away from the heat. Maddie looked up at her. 

"Bring it on." The floor began to rumble again, shaking the puddles of water with bitty tremors. Maddie suddenly flew up into the air, narrowly missing the column of water which burst forth by a few inches. "Oo, that's new." Maddie looked down at the ground. There wasn't anymore time to admire her height, when the water suddenly changed directions, heading straight for her. "_Yeeeek!_" She dodged out of the way again, curving around and away. The water continued to follow her, like an ever lengthening piece of string tied to her ankle, not ceasing to let her escape. 

Maddie eventually curved around into a circle, spiraling downwards like a corkscrew. Every few seconds when she made the turn she could see Naiya laughing at her. _Bitch. Hey, what the hell am I doing?_ She zipped up through the center of the spirals of and looked below, jabbing her hands out. "See how ya like some fire, Bi-otch!" A thick stream of flames burst out of her hands, meeting the end of the water column with a crackle. Clouds of vapor billowed up on contact, Lita cheered from below. Naiya howled as the water was swiftly and effeciantly evaporated away, bits of herself steaming off as well. "Hee hee!" 

Fire sparks singed at Raphaels feet, pieces blown aside during the battle. Naiya had gone airborne as well, and the two fought in midair. Blasts of fire and water zipped about trying to catch up with their target before they were destroyed, and stray stones vaulted into the air from water below bursting forth and breaking through the ground landed with impressive thuds. Raphael side stepped as a block came hurling down, shaking the ground beneath them. Maddie's hair and skirt fluttered far above him and he smirked. Kick her ass. 

_10 Minutes Later_

__ Maddie huffed and shot a series of fire balls from her palms, countering dozens of water spirals and turning them into puffs of vapor. She felt wasted, and was beginging to wonder if maybe she really didn't have pure enough power to control the crystal. She could go for a nap. An infinately long nap... Naiya fired off another round and Maddie had to zip off to take them all on. The sorcoress spent the time charging energy, soft blue light growing around her clasped hands. 

"You... may have the stamina of a young sun..... but _I_ have the force of a hundred planets of oceans." She raised her hands up, a tiny droplett of water hovering in the cup of her palms. "_Bow before my fell power elemental!_" A low monotonous tone whispered in from far away. Within a fraction of a second a tall tsunami of a wave came in from each direction like a dilating circle, narrowing in on one pinpoint. Maddie. 

The speed slowed down dramatically after that, as the height and pressure began building again. Maddie flew upwards, above the rim of the wave. But it rose as she rose, shrinking in on her with astonishing speed again. In a second she was swallowed up with a modest 'whoosh.', and a little blip of water above the surface. A flickering light glowed out, like a light going down in a sinking ship, and fluttered out softly, a few bubbles drifting up to the surface. 

"_Maddie!_" Naiya laughed at their cries of protest. Raphael, Donatello, and Lita had been washed into the others, and into a big heap. The water started draining down, through the cracks in the stone slabs. Crumblings of stone washed away into the crevices, rinsing the ground clean. A stray body was left laid on the stone, like a drowned cat. Maddies clothes and hair stuck to her, and to the ground where she lay, dripping still with liquid. 

"You all are¼" Naiya spoke softly, yet her voice reached them all. "Mortals. Hee hee, _mortals._" She put a hand over her mouth the quiet her giggles. "That was the best you could do? Hee hee. Foolish, silly mortals... Your new forms have given your soft skins. But at least, hee hee, you won't have to to suffer them any longer. Tee hee, _I'll see to that!_" 

_ Madeline, stand. Stand and fight, my lovely pheonix._

_ Yes ...-my king._

"Your own mortality which you had so sought, shall end your own consumtion. And _I_ shall now be the one to cast-" Maddie struggling to pull herself to her knees cut off Naiya's poetry, and sent a disturbed little shock to her stomach. 

"You old hag." She coughed. With a push she rocked herself back onto her haunches, and a brief puff of fire from the stone dried her off. "You want to see what I could do?" 

Naiya snorted and clenched her fists, the glow of charging energy reappearing. "It's been awhile since I've had a fun fight." Maddie rose back up into the air, the red crystal in her necklace glowing. 

"I will incinerate your soul, Naiya. You should've stayed in the stone." She touched her finger to the stone gently, sparks flickering out again. The flickers began to grow in number, like a sparkler. Naiya raised her hands again, with the little water droplett hovering in the cup of her palms. Another tidal wave came in at a desperate speed, swallowing up Maddie before she had a chance to open her eyes. "You're afraid? What happened to a fun fight?" 

"_Impossible!_" Naiya whispered. Light began growing, like watching spikes of light punch out from inside a darkened room. Tiny bubbles appeared at the surface of the water, making quiet blips. With a cry from Maddie it turned to a rolling boil, frothing up furiously. 

The turtles and the girls swam off and down into one of the hidden crevices, where water didn't inhabit. Giving them reprieve from the boiling water for the time. 

For ten minutes or so the water was flash fried, boiling off tonnes of liquid. Naiya screetched and writhed as her power was vaporized, leaving a thin film of dark crystals on the ground. The turtles climbed out and back onto the ground before they missed anything else. Puffs of dark dust flew up under their feet like fine powder now. 

A huge Pheonix crested into the air with a loud crow, wild dry flames flaring everywhere. It was many times larger then it had ever been, nearly the size of a football field, far above the ground. 

"_**Super Nova Blast!**_" The wings folded in on itself, and the twisty tail wrapped up and around. From there the ball of fire shrunk in on itself, cutting it's size in half, and turning an intense white. With an ear shattering booom it erupted outwards. 

Where water was swept the stones, now fire seared the ground and stone and Naiya. A small suns explosion coursed over the land, breaking down rock to dust. Dust to gas. And gas to a strange smell. Micheangelo flinched as the wall of fire flew down on him , like a falling building. Whiny whimpers escaped his throat, and he hid himslf behind Donatellos shoulder. He could feel the heat itching in his skin. 

1 hippopatomous 

2 hippopatomous 

3 hippopatomous 

4 hippopatomous 

5 mississippi 

6........ 

Um... those were a lot of last seconds, he opened one eye a crack. Lita stood in the center of the dome with her hands reaching towards the sky, a dome of water growing out from above her. Her eyes clenched tighter and the dome shuttered in size. _Come on Mads, you're going to fry us too!_ As if in response the fire blasted ended. Though intense and raw, the outburst had only lasted a few seconds. The water dome splurged outwards a few inches and fell to the ground when it didn't feel any force left to press against. 

A black ghostly spirit of Naiya drifted listlessly where it had stood, and uncerimoniously dispersed into the air, leaving no material remains. The sixth sorcoress was dead. A sigh of proud relief sounded unanimously, like having just climbed the top of a high mountain. With a bag of lead shot on your back. 

".....Maddie." Raphael's eyes gravitiated themselves toward the only thing still in the arena. A still body which lay strewn on the stone. 

He walked out towards her at a slow pace. She had changed back again to street clothes, now torn and ragged edges. The elemental crystal rested beside her dimly, without the sparkle it once held. Raphael walked up to her blankly and knelt, picking up her wrist for a pulse. He patted her cheek gently to rouse her. "Maddie... Maddie..." Her head rested to the side when he took his hand away. He took his hand away and tightened his fingers. Somehow he knew she was dead already. There was just that infathomable hope that his intuition was grossy wrong. 

Of all the times he had to be right. 

It was one of those sites not to forget. The once lively body lying dead, her skin now pale and cold to sight. As if not only had she lost her life, but the last shreds of life that leave a body right after it dies. 

The crystal ball flickered beside Raphael, and he felt his eyes closing. Almost as if reacting to the feeling of falling, when going down a rollercoaster, he opened his eyes. White spots of light flashed out from everywhere, and he squinted until it all focused itself. 

Maddie stood behind the counter at Uncle Joey's bar, wiping out a glass with a discolored rag. She smiled when she saw Raph and walked up to her side of the bar. 

"_Maddie!_ You're alive!" Raphael stepped quickly to the counter and reached out to touch her. She leaned back away from his hand, but he still reached her, his hand passing right through her chin. It hovered in air, and they both looked at it. 

"......" He took his hand back. "No, Raph. I'm not." He looked at his hand for a moment, then sat down. 

"Then you _are_ dead." She put the glass down and smiled. 

"Yep." He didn't look her in the eyes. "Looks like." She laughed. 

"Not funny." 

"Oh, I know hon. I know this is hard." She put her hand over his, even though it just hovered in mid air. "And we don't have a lot of time here. So whatever you need to say, say it." 

"Hmph." 

"...Maybe this'll make you feel better... at least you know I loved you. And you know you loved me... if that makes much sense." 

"It does." She patted his hand. "Will I see you again. When we get home?" 

"No. This is the end for us." She smiled. 

"Foreva'?" 

"Forever." He changed directions and looked in the other direction away from her. "But I know you're going to go out, and find someone else to love you after me... Maybe even someone who'll still be alive after four months." He shook his head. 

"...There's no one else, Maddie." He said quietly. "Ever again... not like with you.... not like you...." 

"...oh..." She wiped away a tear, trying to make it look like she was brushing away a piece of hair. "Come on, Raph. You're freakin' me." 

"I love you." He could almost feel heat from her hand. Then the white lights came back to distort his vision, and take him away from Maddie. 

" –ve you too...." He clenched his eyes as the lights made it through his eyelids. They filled his senses, then faded out again as they had before no matter how much he fought them. When he dared to look again, he was back with the corpse. He could feel the numb part of his heart sag with deadweight. The part he had forgotten, felt like the part he needed most right then. 

A low growl began to grow up from the pit of his stomach, growing up into a painful bellow, feeding off the hot tears trapped behind his eyes, and flowing down his beak. 


	19. chapter 19

Untitled Document

_ Looking back on the memory of the dance we shared beneath the stars above  
And for a moment, all the world was right  
How could I have known you'd ever say goodbye  
And now, I'm glad I didn't know the way it all would end  
The way it all would go  
'cause our lives are better left to chance  
I could've missed the pain  
But I had to miss the dance. _

__ Michelangelo stirred a makeshift pan of baked beans, warming them on the tiny fire able to light and stay protected in the night winds. It had taken so long to get it going everyone else had wandered off. Somewhere in sight of camp though. Leonardo and Donatello practiced katas on a bridge formed of a series of overturned pillars over a chasm around the bend . They even let Lita join in. Noriko and Erika had climbed their way to the roof of one of the temples, and sat watching the sky. Leaving Michelangelo to sit and stir the beans with a can opener. He was glad they had all left. It gave him time to cry again alone. 

After Raph, Lita had been the first one to start crying. Then Noriko and Erika chimed in. So he did too. Mostly because they were, and because Maddie had just died. It wasn't till later it actually sunk in. 

They moved the body into a temple and left a torch with it. By that time it was pretty late, so they moved out and found a pretty secluded place to set up camp. Lita's guess had paid off, and thankfully they had some food for dinner that she had packed. Leo made them ration it though. And Mike had to cook it. 

Tiny bubbles began to rise to the top off the liquidy sauce, making little sounds as they popped. Mike wiped the tears off his beak and sniffled his nose dry. He might as well get Raph some food first, so he could disapear again to brood without speaking to anyone else. 

Where was he anyway. Mike poured some beans into a paper plate and took out a piece of bread from the bag. He put another plate on top of the pan to keep it warm, and placed it on the ground before he set off to find his brother. 

Raphael sat on the steps of the temple, his mind a blank screen. His head sagged, almost resting between knees. His arms set on his knees drooped below his legs. He unconsciencely rolled the red crystal in his wrong hand, not even aware it being there. He couldn't hear anything, but the strange silence of the winds. He couldn't see anything, but then the step below him. Nothing really registered other then that. That and the under current of death his mind kept surfacing whenever the pain began to dull. 

Lita walked up to the camp site, crossing her hands behind her back and leaning over to look at the pan of beans and bread left. She was so hungry. But where was Mike? She looked around and followed after Michelangelo when she saw him wandering off toward the temple. After practicing katas for an hour with Donny and Leonardo she left to forage for food. She had a feeling Leonardo was pissed when she showed she knew what they was doing. Mike had been training her. _Ha ha._ But an hour had been more then enough for her, so now she stalked Michelangelo. 

Mike stopped when he reached the corner of the street and nearly dropped the things he was carrying. Lita snuck up behind him and looked around the corner. _Aye Chiwawa!_

Raphael sat on the steps of Maddie's temple, looking at his feet. Behind him Maddie stood, rubbing his shoulder. He didn't seemed to notice for awhile, till he looked up at her. Lita couldn't hear what they were saying very much, neither could Mike she guessed since he walked forward. Something seemed... wrong. _duh._ She cocked her head to hear some of what the two were saying. 

"--_Alive!_" 

"—Would never—love—Honey--" 

"—Saw—when?" 

"Take me to the others." Lita nearly swallowed her tongue when she heared that. She didn't quite know why, but a disquieted wave swept over her. It grew as Raphael took her hand and kissed her, then lead her down the stairs. Michelangelo was coming up on them now. Lita stuttered for a moment, then took off after Michelangelo. 

"_Mike!!_" Raphael looked up and saw them coming, he grinned exstatically. He didn't know that would be the last time he'd ever smile. 

"_Mikey! Lita!_" He called, as if they hadn't seen him yet. 

"_**Hey Maddie!!**_" Mike dropped the plate and bread and started running. _Shit cakes!_ Lita ran faster. She wasn't looking, but could sense the displeased look on Maddie's face. 

"Mike! Look out!" She reached out to grab him before he reached them, when a funnel of black energy them both, propelling them down the street onto their backs. 

Raphael looked at Maddie, her face screwed up into a sneer. She dropped Raphs hand and began to approach Mike and Lita. She didn't want to take them back to camp to kill them. It was upset the others to see her like this. They'd run from her. She would just kill the three of them now she decided. 

"You _bitch!_" Dark energy began to grow around her fists, her eyes sputtered with black electricity. She raised her hands and prepared to shoot another stream of black energy at both Michelangelo and Lita, Mike trying to pull himself back to his feet. 

A wave of water came over Maddie from behind and knocked her down onto her face so she kissed the ground. Mike looked between Raph and Maddie before gathering Lita up, hobbling off toward safety. Raph backed away from Maddie and ran off with Mike before she got up, giving one glance back at her. 

Leonardo looked out down the street from camp site, Donatello joining by his side. They had been distracted by the rucas going on and ended sparring for a time. When they saw Mike and Raph running their way through shadows they Leonardo signaled for him to find and stay with Erika and Noriko. Donatello took off into the shadows, while Leo went the other way to the row of buildings Michelangelo was running through. Something about the paniced like way they ran instilled him to conceal himself somewhat. Catching him between two colusiums in near pitch black darkness, behind one of the fallen columns, he stopped his brother. "_Mike!_ Hold up." He caught Mike's shoulder before they crashed into each other. Mike panted for frenzied air for a minute, while Leo finally noticed he was carrying Lita with him, a big burn mark on her shirt. "_Lita._" He took her from Mike. "S'Maddie... she's-" 

"Maddie?" 

"_She's Alive!_" Mike spat out. "And she's gone totally psycho!" 

"Where." Mike turned back and looked down the street. 

"I-I dunno." Across the street a flash of red passed into the temple, and four figures exited hastily through the side into an alley. "There?" Lita stirred in his arms and moaned quietly. "Lita?" She opened her eyes and looked up at both of them. 

"Lita, what happened." Leonardo looked down at her. 

"raph... where's Raph?" 

"There-" Mike looked across the street at Raphael, looking out from behind one of the pillars. Lita struggled to climb out of Leonardos arms. 

"I hafta talk to Raph-" 

"Mike, get Raph." Leonardo easily subdued Lita while Mike let out a painful moan. 

"Gimme a break man, I just got fried." He gingerly touched the black wound left on his plastron. "Ouchie." He whispered more to himself. 

"I'll give you something for it later, just get Raph over here, wouldja?" Mike gave him a kicked puppy look, then ran off into the shadows. Leonardo looked after his brother with trepidation. That wound looked pretty bad. "Hey, take it easy." He turned his attention down as Lita kicked around in his arms. She settled down. "Simmer down." 

"Maddie... she's... she's" 

"Why is she alive?" 

"She's not. It's a... a..." 

_Show yourselves already!!_

They looked out into the street, where Maddie stood. She stomped her foot, sending vibration waves currenting through the ground. Leonardo held Lita closer and jumped out of the way of crumbling stone. Lita groaned at the disturbance of her wound and curled up in defense. 

Raphael crouched low on the stone bridge, looking down on Maddie throwing a fit. He crawled overhead to the other side of the street and climbed down the building silently. He was almost afraid to think of what was going on inside her body. Below him he could see Leonardo, just where Mike said. He shimmied down the wall and snuck over to them, kneeling downin the shadows. Lita began speaking even before he reached the ground. 

"Raph-" 

"What the _fuck_ is going on?" He cut in. 

"You have the crystal still?" 

"Huh? Yeah." Lita nodded. "Should I give it back to Mads?" 

"No... Maddie's dead. She's been... her body's being used by the ancients. It's _not Maddie_." She added after Raphaels confused and saddened expression. 

"Not Maddie..." 

"We... left her body intact... they must've found it..." Raphael looked down. "That was the problem with losing Maddie first." Lita voice turned almost to a whisper. "Fire is the element of destruction. We still need that power." 

"What are you saying?" Leonardo broke in and she looked up at him. 

"The body has to be destroyed. There's not enough time to explain, can you understand?" She turned to Raphael. 

"... what do you want me to do about it." Raphael muttered. 

"Without Maddie, her power is defaulted to you. You have to take her place now as guardian." 

_Eeeeeeeek!!_

Erika's voice traveled across to them. Maddie laughed and chased her out into the street close on her heels. Erika tripped and fell, a cry of protest came off in the shadows from Michelangelo. It looked like the end, but reactionarily a wave of water knocked Maddie off onto her side and gave Erika time to escape. Lita put her hand down and looked at Raph. 

"Now go." 

"But-" She put her hand on his should and gave him a hard a push as she could. 

"_Go._" Raphael disapeared into the shadows again and stepped out into the light. He threw the bands of his bandana over his shoulder and watched Erika run off behind him. Maddie shook water out of her hair and rolled up onto her feet. 

"Stupid little sprite." He heard her mumbled. When he cleared his throat quietly she looked up at him. "Ooo, fresh meat." She grinned. Raphael looked down at the red crystal in his hand. "Are you going to come out and play, or will I have to get you?" She giggled and began walking over to him. _That's not you in there, is it._ The crystal began to glow. 

"Suck my dick, hoe." The words felt akward on his lips. He gripped the crystal and felt the hot energy travel up his arm. It burned like all get out. "What the fuck?!" He threw the crystal away. But his fingers clamped around it. 

"Hee hee, not this time." Heat grew up his arm and into his chest. His blood was on fire. 

"**NGGGGHHHH!!**" He clenched his chest and grimaced, his knees losing stability. He took a step to the side to keep his balance. The heat spread down his legs and other arm like lava in his veins. He had no control, and was just a conductor for its will. 

"What's wrong?" Maddie laughed. "Cat got your voice?" She purred. _Sorry Maddie...._ The heat grew to all his extremities, then zeroed in on his heart like a bullet. 

"Raaa_aaaaaAAA**AAAAGGHHHHH!!**_" He could feel the fire shoot back down his arm and into the crystal. Even before it released he knew it would hit it's target. A beam of fire exploded from his hand, drawing in on a very surprised ancient. She burst into flame instantly, like a car into a cliff. The ground shuttered in quakes as the body fell to the floor. It seemed to burn like a pile of leaves. Raphael loosened his hold on the crystal as the heat drastically left. He huffed and dropped to one knee. Sparks flew off the body, and popped on the ground like fire crackers. 

"...Thank you, Raphael." Leonardo's voice came from the shadows. 

Early morning hours of the second day on the asteroid were dark and quiet. The winds had ceased and left an eerie void where once noise traveled. This gave space for the tiny fire to grow, spreading at least a little heat and light to the campsite. Most of the group had fallen to an exhausted sleep around the fire, huddled up to keep warm. Leonardo painstakingly applied one of Splinters healing salves to the black burn on Litas stomach, her shirt hiked up below her breasts. Michelangelo had been patched up first, a bandage taped over his chest. The wound thankfully hadn't damaged any organs, only leaving a strange blackened lesion on his chestplate that he insisted hurt like the dickens. Leonardos' med work tuckered to him out enough to send him straight to sleep after he was properly bandaged up, so he could work on Lita in some peace. Lita sucked in her breath when he put a dab of the cold salve on her. 

"Sorry." He worked it into the burn slowly. She nodded and rested her head back on the stone block. The dull black skin flaked off with the movement, then laid flat when it was manipulated with the balm. Leonardos' brow furrowed with concern. He didn't want to express this to Lita though, and make her worry as well. God knows the fit she would throw about it. So he turned his mind to more pressing matters to their task. "I was wondering... how you knew about element of destruction... and Maddie." She looked up at him. 

"...I dunno. It was mega weird." 

"What" 

"Kinda like... someone was talking in my ear. But... nah really." 

"Hmm." 

"It was like I already knew it..." Leonardo warmed salve between his hands and placed them back on her stomach. 

"...You already knew it?" 

"Yeah... I know... mega weird." She looked away. "Seems that's been happening a lot lately." She added more towards herself. 

"I don't know..." He said quietly. "Not as weird as some of the stuff around here." 

"Pshhh. _Yeah_." She watched as Leonardo took out the wide bandages from the pack and put away the jar of balm. "Leonardo, I want you to promise me something." 

"Yeah?" He slid his hand under her back and she lifted it up, so he could wrap the bandage around her. 

"If I die... I want you to make sure you guys have a really great barbaque." He stopped and looked up at her. "...get it... barbaque?" 

"...Barbaque." He looked at her blankly for a few moments. Lita swallowed. He was looking kind of ...sensitive? But he cracked a smile, so it must have been her. "Fine. I get your big mouth." He went back to work. 

"Hey!" Donatello stirred at the jolt of noise, Lita quieted her voice. "I do not have a big mouth." She whispered. Leonardo continued to smirk and wrapped the brown bandage around. 

Daytime brought little light. None at all it seemed. They wouldn't even have known it was morning if Erika hadn't brought a watch. Back on Earth it was morning. The planet that once was the cause of their lifelong distress and injustice was the safe haven they yearned for now. 

The walk began again in silence, people keeping generally close together. Raphael walked behind some yards, Leonardo took point. Lita walked somewhere in between point and the rest of the group, surveying all the buildings they passed. 

It had been just over 24 hours on the asteroid, but it seemed like a week. Every corner turned held trepidition of an enemy in wait. Any shadow could be lurking with danger. The purple torches which once held security of light, now threw criss crossing shadows about the ground. 

Now random earthquakes shook the land, afterquakes of the death of the fire guardian Lita explained, not expanding on the notion. She had seemed to become more secretive and intense as the day wore on. This perturbed Donatello and Noriko most of all, who felt particularly unsafe not knowing everyones cards. 

In fact, each of them became tense and updrawn as the walk continued. Progress was hard to see in mile after mile of near identical scenery. They all inferred the chance of them running into another sorceror like Naiya was increasing. Lita had foretold that at least two more sorcerors there would be to battle. She again dropped that point and let everyone wonder. So when they came face to face with another statue, they stopped for at least a briefing. 

It was another woman in stone. With long hair down to her knees, and small petite features. Dust particles swirled around her in a whirlwind, inviting her release. There was no motion from the statue itself, yet an air of dread hovered in the unearthly smile. 

Michelangelo looked down as Erika grabbed his hand, squeezing it tight. Donatello stepped forward out of the group and looked at the statue. 

"Who is it." He said quietly. Lita swallowed then stepped up behind Donatello a few feet. 

"Anila, the air sorcoress." Wind picked up upon her words. Erika hid behind Mike, he put his arms around his back and held her. "...Are you ready Noriko?" 

"_Hey hey_ hey," Raphael stalked up to the rest of the group. "Who's saying we're fighting it in the first place. We've got enough trouble already!" 

"Hee hee! Raphy? running aw-" Mike froze when everyone stared at him. "Oh...right." They looked back at Raph. 

"I'm tired of all this 'prophecy psychic shit, Lita!'" He approached her. "_Know what I think-_" Leonardo suddenly appeared before he reached her and stared him down. 

"...Back off, Raph." He pronounced clearly under his breath. Raphael snarled and turned on his heel, walking off a few yards and sulking. 

"It's alright," Lita said quietly. "I understand." Leonardo looked back at her, then stepped away. "I'm sorry you feel that way, Raph." He turned around. "But I can't help that." 

"Mm." 

"This is just something we'll have to do. If we die here, you can be sure this sorceress will be free to come to Earth." 

"_Bu-_" He put his hand forward to interupt. 

"You can't understand this. It's fate." 

"You saying I -" 

"_Raph-san_." Noriko stepped forward. "Please." 

"Noriko, you?" Donatello's face was awash with mild surprise and mild caution. 

"I must, Donatello." She took the crystal ball from the pocket of her pants. "I could never accept at myself knowing that I've left a monster free to come to Earth, or anywhere." She looked into the crystal. "Didn't you tell me, to mine own self be true? What of mine own cause?" Donatello looked at her for a moment... then nodded his approval, as if she needed it. "Come Erika, release her from the statue." Erika looked out from over Mike's shoulder like a scared rabbit and he gently pushed her out in front of him. 

"Noriko, I don't-" "Do it." She broke in before Erika said 'want to.' "...Alright." Erika said in defeat. She walked passed Noriko and Donatello, up to the stone statue, stopping outside the whirlwind. Everyone backed away again and found shelter as Anila was released from the stone. Winds swirled around into a tornado, kicking up dust. Erika squealed and ran off to hide with Mike and Raph. 

Noriko waited with baited breath as the winds died down, into the form of Anila, whispy white strands flowing from her to show where the air blew. She cracked her neck and back and smiled, wasting no time for a monologue. Noriko swallowed and held the green crystal to her chest. _Please work._ She looked over her shoulder to Donatello. He had been so kind to her. She must be victorious. If not for an honorable goodness, than for him. 

Noriko turned back and squeezed the crystal, closing her eyes. _**Please** work._ The ground began to tremble softly, and faint steam gases seeped up from the cracks in the stone to surround her. Leafy vines grew outwards from the crystal and formed wide spirals around her, and around the rest of her body, the young light green stems unfurling delicate leaves. It was like a little rainforest. Tiny colored flowers bloomed from the vines with a puff of sweet scent. 

Donatello narrowed his eyes, trying to see straight through the haze. It looked almost for a moment that Noriko had wings of some type. White, feather wings. But in a second they were gone, as was the haze. Noriko's clothes had changed... or disapeared at least. She wore a short, sleeveless, very green dress. A fine rope hung around her hips, tied at the naval and hanging down in a single strand with a green bead tied at the end. Her hair was a very short, slicked back with a shard of hair pushed behind her ear. Around her neck was a green choker, the circular crytsal embedded into the center. 

Donatello sighed and settled down behind the rabble in the alley way. _Good luck, Noriko... I've done all I can for you._

Michelangelo watched blankly as Noriko fought with the sorcoress. She had transformed again into the sprite, her final form. The first act of desperation Maddie had used before. And soon the second followed.

Noriko knelt on one knee and held the crystal to the ground. It began to rumble and rich dirt piled up from below. Pillars of rock shot up from below, hiding Noriko and Anila from their eyes. The pillars grew upwards and arched over, ending any escape of Anila. Her lilthe white arm jutted out from the prison for a moment, before it was covered over with rock. 

Stones tumble down here in there as the dome was frozen in a sort of stasis. There was the sound of a few clashes from inside. The caverns began to shiver, and came sinking back down into the ground. Anilas scream were the only thing that emenated from the impenatrable fortess of rock. 

Rock and stone came flying up in reaction to the dome crashing into the ground, flinging scrap in all directions. Dust and dirt filled the air, and clouded vision. Bits of pebbles bounced over the ground before settling to their stop. For a brief second one could catch sight of a withering black shadow, disapearing into the air. 

When the dust cleared only Noriko was left. Anila was no where to be found. 

Donatello stood up with the others, and was the first one to step out onto the streetway. He walked out to the body and knelt by it. Dirt was smeared on her face, her wide eyes closed. The short jet black hair was now dulled with dirt, and rested in disarray. _Noriko...... why should I have expected this... still..._

"Still what, Don-san?" He could almost hear her voice. "Hee hee, _Donny_" 

"Huh? What?" Donatello looked up, but no longer saw the parthenon pillars, purple torches, or black sky. Noriko sat on the foot bridge of the arboretum, twirling a purple foxsnapper in her hands. "Noriko!" 

"Konban wa." She smiled. 

"What is this? ...The astral plane?" 

"Of sorts." Donatello joined her at the bridge. 

"Oh." 

"You needent to worry yourself." 

"Oh." 

"I wanted to say goodbye, Don-san." She clarified almost cheerfully. 

"..._Oh._" He sat down. "Right." Noriko smiled and chuckled to herself. 

"Oh Don. You've done so much to me." 

"I have?" 

"Hai....Your ideals of self-reliance an independace meant very much... And the _tech-no-lo-gi-cal_" She pronounced "Knowledge you gave me showed me to rely upon myself, not the... how you said... chauvanistic? ...Teachings of the forefathers." Donatello looked at his feet. "I can never express my gratitudes for the kindness you've shown me." 

"Oh...well... you're welcome." He watched Noriko as she stood up before him. 

"Many salutations." She made a fist in one hand, and placed it against her flat palm, bowing crisply. 

"Many salutations..." Noriko smiled and backed away down the path. He could see Maddie waiting at the turn of the corner. She smiled and waved as Noriko joined her. Donatello waved back. "...Bye..." 


	20. chapter 20

Untitled Document

**65,000,000 Years Ago **

Blue fog in water swirled, with a soft hum that could be heard on the static level. From underground tributaties the reservoir was filled and ran through constantly, stealing from above ground rivers. Elemental Lita sped through the water, her long hair jetting out behind her. Water let her pass easily, like a beam of light through darkness. She darted and shot through the water, not bothering to disturb the mist of blue particles hanging suspended in the resovoir. 

Tensions were high... above the water that is. Casualties statistics were still coming from the recent battle of Kerda. All of the royal court was bristled and agitated. They were thinking the same as she. That scared her. 

Lita had come down only to escape the raging sentiments of her countrymen. She was so looking forward to an end to this war. End of the brutal fighting. But while she so wished for military and political reprieve, she was afraid of it. Knowing what a tumultuous confrontation was needed. How extreme resolve must be. 

Up by the surface an intrustion to her substance woke Lita from her thoughts. It was Sir Leonardo's beautiful dark fingers, flitting in the water. She changed course, and swam up to the surface. 

He was waiting as she leveled out by the cement platform against the wall. Leonardo sat on his haunches by the edge, his crisp cadet blue uniform wrinkled in the unusual position. He had unsnapped the top few buttons of his tunic, and rolled one of his spiked honor medals between his fingers absently in his wrong hand. He looked up as Lita surfaced and took back his fingers from the wetness, moving his hand to her cheek. 

"Lita..." She smiled and hoisted herself up beside him. The water sheened off her and into the resovoir, leaving her neat and dry. She gave her head a shake, her hair flying about in millions of tiny ribbons. Leonardo stood up close to her and took her shoulders, looking down at her her, wishing not to be set off course by watching her primp herself. His dark eyes sparkled with intensity. 

"What troubles you?" She stood up on her toes and kissed his chin. He waited for her to stand down and watched her for a few moments. She was a beautiful flower. Sparkling, like a wet lily. His thumb reached up and trailed down her cheek. 

"Our final seige shall come at the break of morn. Orders from our king." Her brow furrowed and she looked away. Out of the corner of his eye he could see the water surface rippled with lines of tension. He stroked her hair and drew her close to him. "...Preporatory speechs are made in the hall of our lords. They wish us attend." 

"Oh dear..." He rested his face in her hair. She pressed her arms against his chest and he could feel his heart pound against her fingers. 

"Lita... let us not join them." 

"...Leonardo." He caressed her hair. 

"Let us spend the night together." She pulled away from his arms and stepped back, turning her back to him. "Join me in my chambers, Lita." 

"Leonardo... we _cannot_." She looked over her shoulder. "...What would there be to be thought then?" 

"Why should they think... why should they wonder." She spun on her heel. 

"They _already_ think. They _already_ wonder!" Leonardo straightened his shoulders. He knew this already. But somehow hearing it from her lips hurt. "...see how I would find joy in your arms in the still of the night... how long my body hath yearned for yours, even in this darkest of hour." She wrapped her arms around herself. "But so improper this yearning. So unbecoming; indecent." She turned back again. 

"No, not improper. All becoming and decent." He came behind her and held her shoulders. "You have _always_ resisted our temptations. _Always_ heedful and fearful of our conduct. Always fair and virtuous you have maintained yourself. My dearest of hearts... I ask you, slight those whom object to us, can we give our lives for our cause, without the blessed union of our souls?" She leaned her head against his chest. "Lita... I know that love is in my heart." 

"Leonardo..." 

"...I know it is in yours as well.... Please..." She closed her eyes and rolled her head against his chest. 

"...Yes... " She acquiesced at last. He ran his hand through her hair and onto her hip, turning her around to kiss her. She sighed and sunk into him, taking his hand and following him out of the resovoir. 

Steel bolted doors opened and they snuck out into the dim lit hall. Far away were the voices of the royal court, their voices impassioned and obnoxiously loud. They hurried in the other direction, stepping lightly down the cement. The corridors were empty this night, and echoed their lonely foot steps. 

It seemed as if hours they ran, although only minutes. Breath became shortened and forced to a quiet huff, ears perked. Every turn held fear of being discovered for them. But still their efforts were made in vain. Sir Michelangelo ran into them in the hall, halting both parties. Lita grabbed Leonardo's arm and stood close behind him, as if she was facing some physical harm. 

"_Leonardo!_ Here thoust attend." Michelangelo smiled. "You doth accompany me to the hall of lords? Our King and Princes' speak." Leonardo put his arm around Lita and held her closer. Michelangelo's eyes darted between between the two with confusion. He began to slow and raised his eyebrows. "Oh." The tales were true then. 

"Stay us not, brother... you shant stay us here." Leonardo straightened his back. Michelangelo cleared his throat, ruffling his goatee. 

"Please, your highness." Lita pleaded. Sir Micheal smiled nervously and bowed. 

"Mine lips be fixed." He tapped his mouth and stepped aside to let them pass. They hurried on past, and disapeared around the corner. Michelangelo sighed and continued on his way. To give foresaken love one night of freedom, what could be a worthier cause? Maybe saving the universe. _That reminds me._ Michelangelo turned the corner around heading toward the hall of lords. 

Lita stepped back into the dark room as Leonardo closed and locked the door. He turned around to face her, and they both stood in place, as if neither of them knew what to do. Lita looked over her beau, taking in his form again. His tall posture was impecible, with modest curves of muscles in his back. Wide shoulders and tapered waist gave an imposing frame to him. But she knew the kind, even weathered heart he kept inside. Seemingly infinate age, he had a firm exterior to the universe. But still¼ so soft he was. 

Lita ran into his arms and kissed him. At the same time her lifted her up, her legs wrapped around his waist. She draped her arms behind his back as he carried her to the bed. He was nice and warm. 

Leonardo knelt on the end of the bed and leaned over, setting Lita down softly onto the matress. She released him and laid back, closing her eyes as he kissed her neck, and around her collar bone. His lips pressed against her skin with practiced care, masking what burning passion flamed inside him. She brought her hands to his head and ran her fingers through his hair as his hands undressed her. 

Suddenly he sat up, startling her with his abruptness. She watched as he unbuttoned his uniform, taking tedious care not to tear a button. Hundreds of little buttons lined the tunic, hidden behind a panel that had to be pushed out of the way while he worked. A frustrating feat. It made him wish for the tunic shirts in days of his yore, which were easily pulled over ones head. And ironed with much less startch. He might just address that subject at the next meeting of states. 

Lita's cool hand on his cheek roused him from his musings. He stopped and looked down at her, her fingers falling down his chin. Again, her serene eyes showed him his focus. The one thing that must be rushed could not, and the one thing that must be shortened in time must be without tempo. He smiled absently and touched her hand on him. An angel. She was his angel. He laid down beside her on his side and they looked at each other, fingers intertwining. Far away the cares of the world bid them no mind, and they were left in their peace. Caressing skin, and warm words were all that existed for them, in their ideal little world they had so longed for. 

Leonardo rested his face in Litas' hair, her bare back against his chest, and legs curled over his. His arm draped over her side, his fingers entwining with hers between her hands. Her skin was soft, lightly moist, but soft. He blew warm air into her hair and smiled. The child like wonderment of their night filled him with a sort of... comfort. 

Lita turned her head and looked back at him, blinking twinkling sleepy eyes. He pulled his face back to look at her, and kissed her again. She smiled and rested her head back, raising their coupled hands up and looking at them. His dark skin was contrasting with her unusual milky brown. he brought the back of her hand closer and placed it against his cheek. 

The loud siren began to sound out in the hall. The signal for attack. It didn't strike them at all. Lita rested her head against Leonardos and watched as he extracted her hand from his and turn it around to face her palm. He brought it against his face and kissed it. She smiled and blinked slowly. 

"Love, look unto thine hand, and thou shalt recall mine love for thee, and what family you hath lost, hath been founded in me." He kissed her palm again and drew her into his arms. She kissed him and rolled atop his body, running her fingers through his hair. 

The ground rumbled softly, the dozenth aftershock of the loss of universe elements. Space and time were upset, and rocked in protest as they tried to cope. Lita sat straight up, her faced flushed. She felt like she was hyperventalating, and grabbed her throat, as if that would help her breath. The cold winds of the asteroid howled softly in the early morning, stone specks fluttering over the ground as if being swept by many brooms. Hundreds of dust atoms swirled about the air, and swished away with a breeze, like flocks of birds swaying in the air together. 

Mike opened his eyes and propped himself up on his elbows to see her on the other side of the circle. "You ok?" He asked quietly. The rest of the troupe was still asleep. Lita's eyes shifted to him while she caught her breath. Her head nodded lightly while her chest heaved. "Bad dream?" He took a moment to absently press the tape of his bandage back down. 

"I... I can't... remembah...anymore." She scratched her head. She could feel the memories drifting away as she reached for them. "Hmm." 

"Hmn. Early alzheimers." He nodded to himself, hunking back down under the blanket, the conversation concluded. Lita let out a small puff of breath and closed her eyes. She felt so cold now. And empty. Maddie wasn't here to talk with her either. _Maddie..._ Lita shimmied from underneath the blanket and left camp. She had this strange urge just to get away for awhile. 

Up on one of the stone scaffolds flanking the steps to a building Lita laid on her back, her head resting over the end. It was another twenty minutes or so till the rest began to wake up. Although, when your sitting all alone and your bored it seems like longer. She itched at her bandages sometimes. God, they were irritating. 

Up over the rise they camped before was seen the tiers of the matrix fortress. Only a few hundred yards away it stood. Leonardo had seen it, and choosed to camp for the night before striking on, resting through the night. Today they would introduce themselves to their enemies, and begin the final fight. 

Mike again was the second up, this time after Erika. The night before he had quietly insisted to sleep beside her. As if he could somehow protect her while he slept. Erika slide out from under the blanket she shared with Mike and began rifling through the bag. Mike got up after her and joined her, taking the metal pan, and can of chili out for breakfast. 

They had changed policy from having diner to breakfast, so they weren't wasting 'prime energy' during the night. Raph and Leo were the next to crawl from their sleeping bags, taking Don with them for some morning katas while Mike and Erika worked on breakfast. It was almost like a camping trip. Lita smiled to herself, remembering when they all went to the beach. That was one of the many happy memories she had with everyone together. One of the last. 

Mike made Erika stay at camp while he fetched his brothers, so she would be close to the 'safe zone'. Lita frowned. In retrospect he should have sent Erika instead, as opposed to leaving her without escort for so long. Nothing happened, and the turtles returned relatively soon. Leonardo had seen the folley as well and they four double timed it till they were in plain view of camp. 

Mike served up the chili onto the paper plates he had wiped clean and handed them out with a slice of bread. 

They were running out of food fast. Leonardo made everyone tear the bread sideways and put half back. Raphael snatched a fork out of the bag and went off to sulk by himself. Last night he had to torch Norikos corpse. No one followed him. 

Lita furrowed her brow as Leonardo began the walk to the scaffold, carrying a plate of the brown smush. She frowned and crossed her arms, looking back up into dark space. She felt like being alone now. But he didn't seem to care. 

"*Ahem*" She opened her eyes and looked straight, right at his stomach. As she rolled her eyes up she saw how stiffly and formally he stood. But when she met his eyes she saw his dubious look, as if he was saying 'why the hell are you lying like that?' But he never said anything. "Here." He held the plate out for her. 

"I'm not hungry." She closed her eyes again, not taking it from him. 

"You have to eat." 

"Give it to Mike, he needs it more than me." She rolled up onto the stone before he could respond. 

"Your new found self-lessness is refreshing." He crossed his arms, still holding the plate in one hand. This might take awhile. "But you've still got to eat this." 

"I'm _not_ hungry. Do you really think you can win against me." She smirked and sat down on her haunches near the edge of the scaffold. 

"Do you really think that I _won't_ force feed?" She frowned and he handed her the plate. "And stay close to camp." 

"I will." She mumbled as he walked off. 

Leonardo sighed to himself and looked back again to make sure she hadn't put the food away. But his eye must've decieved him. In Lita's place was a long haired beauty in a mist, kneeling on the scaffolding, fiddling with bandages around her stomach. She looked up at him, and he almost toppled backwards. Those eyes, they were Litas. He knew they were... but it couldn't be. Lita was an obnoxious slob-. 

But the next second it _was_ again Lita. She gave him a look then turned back to breakfast, smoothing her shirt down. Leonardo gave his head a shake and returned to camp. _A life less ordinary._ He dropped down onto his sleeping bag and laid back down. 

_ All sleeping together in deep holes,  
Fragments of chalk,  
Stained rubies.  
_

_ Excerpt from 'And Where Are The Graves' -Moses Ibn Ezra_

The turtles stood at the crest of a tall hill, looking down the valley below. Tiny torch lights served as a trepid dawn, flickering with queer life on stagnant grounds. The remaining six of the travelers looked down upon in awe. Michelangelo grabbed both his stomach and his mouth simoultaneously and ran off where no one could see him to throw up, his stomach contracting violently. Raphael was the only one that watched him run off, then turned back to the view. 

From far above the embossed effect of petrified skeltal bones on the ground seemed like an illusion. Very far the special effect seemed to run, it was impossible for so many people to be laid out atop one another spanning such an area as their eyes would imply. But after careful scrutiny, it appeared to be true. Hundreds of thousands of bodies strewn over streets, spilling up into colleseums and buildings. An orgy of stone skeletons and steel weapons, left for centuries untouched. A curious and horrific thing. 

Michelangelo hobbled back to the group, holding his stomach with a pale expression on his face. "What is this..._place?_" He asked. 

"...The battle of Kerda." A lone voice responded. Lita walked out onto a roof slate that jutted out from the slope of the hill, kneeling down by the edge. "The battle of last devotion." 

"Battle of Kerda..." Donatello echoed, trying to recall some part of his past long forgotten. 

"This was the last fight before we were called for. Both sides were slaughtered pretty bad." She flicked a rock off the edge down the hill. "Afterwards there was no one left to clean up the battlefield." 

"That's disgusting." Mike screwed his face up, his imagination running wild. 

"No more than _your_ wars." Lita stood up. Mike nodded in some sort of submission and stood beside Donatello. 

"We'll have to find away to reach the fortress." Leonardo surveyed the mass of bones and weapons as Lita joined him. 

"We can't step on the bones. It would be a great dishonor." Leonardo looked down at her. "If we go by rooftop it might take a little longer. But's it's the only way." 

"Let's make a route while we still have a birds eye view." Lita rummaged through the bag over her shoulder and handed him a pair of kiddie binoculars. 

"It's so scary." Erika whispered to Mike while Leonardo mapped out their route. Mike looked up at the fortress she was so entranced by. The black spires nearly blended into the sky, with only iridescent purple lights glowing from window ports to distinguish it from the endless span of space. The foreboding entrance of petrified bones seemed to warn them of impeding danger. Erika shuttered and hung onto Mikes arm. 

"Yeah. Spookular." He muttered. Something about the way Erika clutched his arm scared him too. This whole trip had been scaring the shit out of him. 

"...Mikey," She said so only he could hear. 

"Yuh?" He said a little louder. Secretly hoping it would deter her from saying something that would freak with him. 

"When I was trapped in the astral plane... I said that I would ...would give up Jimmy to save the universe." Mike waited for her to say something else, but she didn't sound like she was. He guessed he had missed something. 

"Um... yeah?" She looked up at him with eyes that made him feel her pain, and wished he had given her a hug instead of thinking about adjusting his bandage. 

"Well look what we're doing. We're giving up the powers of the universe to save him... isn't that what we're _not_ supposed to do?" Mike furrowed his brow in thought. It sounded right. 

"Well... it's splinter too ya know." Was all he could really think of. It wasn't just her brother they were fighting for. His dad was involved too. But that didn't sound like it should even be part of the conversation. He bit the side of his lip. "I dunno." Erika looked down, and loosened her clutch on his arm. The conversation was over, but somehow he didn't feel like letting the thought go. Like maybe he wouldn't remember to think about it later, and he knew he should. But the time to reflect was finished when Leonardo announced a route was decided. Mike pushed the thought from his mind and lead Erika to join the others at the swell of the hill. 

"We'll start down over there, and make our way over." He announced. "We move in silence... and _together_." He looked sideways at Raphael, who had been trailing behind for the majority of the trip. Raph gave him a look then turned away. Leonardo sighed to himself, hoping his brother would heed his words. "Everyone ready?" General mumblings of assent replied. That would have to be enough. They had left Splinter and Jimmy in the care of their enemies too long already. "Alright, let's roll." 

"Erika, no magic till we get inside." Lita added. 

"Right." Leonardo lead the charge off the slant roof, and made a leap onto the next effortlessly. He stopped and waited for the others to join him, making sure they all followed safely. Raph and Lita were right behind him, then Don. Mike waited behind while Erika built up some sort of momentum, swinging her arms back and forth, bending her knees in time. She finally jumped and nearly fell short of the next roof if Donatello hadn't caught her and hoisted her back up. Mike leapt over after her once she and Don moved out of the way. Leonardo furrowed his brow in concern, this looked like it might continue the whole way there. 

It slowed them down considerably, adding nearly another twenty minutes onto their travels. Mike waited behind Erika at all times to see that she made it safely across, and took a bit of time himself jumping with the lesion on his chest plate. It was unusual, usually Mike would be the one to go skate boarding with a broken leg. And Lita would take any chance to slack off. But everything these weeks was screwy. 

They all arrived at the gates of the fortress together none the less, climbing down to the ground level from a roof top. Leonardo drew his swords as soon as he reached the floor, and was surprised to find Lita beside him, scanning the gates for entrance. He checked to see if his brothers and Erika had arrived as well, then turned back to the gates. Hovering his hands over the thick cast iron bars he walked along the length. Inside the fortress the heavy wood doors which would have been pressed up against the bars were left open, opening into the unfurnished ground floor. Unfurnished, and unoccupied. Leonardo gave inconspicuous hand signals to his brothers and they quickly took their positions. Mike and Erika kept their position while Raph and Don snuck across to the other side of the gates. 

"Leo," Lita whispered. "Look at this." He looked over he shoulder at the open lock she held in her hand. "An open invitation?" She slid the curved bar from it's catches and nearly fell over with the sheer weight of it. "_Gah!_" Leonardo examined the gates for a moment before pushing one open. It only budged forward a few inches at his push, but went to proove that there were no booby traps set for them there. So far. He heaved the gate with all his might, propelling it only 8 or so feet open till it squealed to a halt. Taking the lock from Lita he gave it a hurl inside. The thick square foot of metal clattered inside, coming to a rest on the dimly lit floor. No traps were activated then either, but he still decided to go ninja style. 

Raph, Don, Mike, and Erika joined them at the gates after the signal, following Leonardo and Lita's charge inside. Flickering light cast by torches made it hard to stay hidden, it seemed they weren't meant to stay out of sight once they arrived. None the less, no one was around to greet them. 

The square structure of the fort was built up on it's corners with the tall spires, steel pikes garnished the ridges pointing upwards, with casted arrow heads soldered upon them. Below the top of the fotress was a walkway that ran the inner perimeter of the walls, leading to hundreds of rooms against the sides. Other than this walkway there was no ceiling in the fort. The huge double football field sized space was opened up to the sky, making the air cold, and giving an atmosphere of uncorrupted utility. 

The torches that had been set out for them came in from each of the four corners in rows, and formed paths ways to the center of each wall. In the center of the floor was a stone gilded pedestal, which seemed so out of place in its perfunctionary quarters. 

Leonardo signaled for the marching order and started forward, taking careful measurments of each angle that changed. There was no telling what was waiting for them just another step forward. They had all deciphered the sorcerors trickery skills after the deal in the astral plane. Springing a dishonorable ambush sounded expectable. He decided for precautions sake to tell the others to walk in his footsteps, so any traps he missed, they would miss them as well. In turning around he nearly knocked into Lita and had to grab her elbow so she wouldn't topple backwards onto the floor. Once she was upright again her cheeks colored and she flashed him a sheepish smile. He mouthed 'ok?' and she nodded. Looking over her shoulder to his brothers he signed what he was thinking and they agreed. He pointed to Litas feet, then his, seeing if she understood. She furrowed her brow as he repeated the motion, then nodded. 

Around the pedestal they gathered, Raphaels head jerking around in search of the enemy. Leonardo nudged the paper with the tip of his sword, his muscles taught with anticipation. 

"If they haven't attacked by now, I don't think they're gunna. Not their way." Lita was the first one to speak and received a look from Leonardo. She shrugged it off and picked up the paper. 

"_No!_" Mike half whispered half shouted, following Leonardos discretion. Lita gave the paper a snap to open it and held it out with both hands. 

Donatello looked over her shoulder and read the characters. Lita looked back at him and handed it to him. 

"What does it say?" Leonardo asked. 

"I don't know. This is no language I've read before." He turned the paper around and looked it over again. Leonardo reach over Lita and took the paper from him. 

"Of course not." He scanned it. "Why _would_ they write in an Earth language." 

"Maybe so we could read it." Michelangelo suggested to Donatello and Erika. Leonardo gave them a look and handed the note back to Lita. 

"Can you make anything of it." 

"Hmmm..." She held it with both hands, running her thumbs over the symbols. "It's like..." 

"Gibberish?" Mike filled in to break his own tension. 

"A test... kinda." She closed her eyes and folded the paper back in half. "They've moved themselves to see if we can pursue. If we can use the universe's powers to follow them." 

"Splinter and Jimmy?" Donatello prompted. 

"They took them along. They're waiting for us as we speak." She opened her eyes and ran her finger along the edge of the paper. 

"Where." Leonardo asked. She looked up at him and handed him the paper. 

"Selphi." 


	21. chapter 21

Untitled Document "These clothes are nasty. I look like such a wuss." Splinter nodded as his son played with the new clothes in front of the long mirror. He modeled best he could to make himself appear more macho. 

He wore breezy white pants that cinched at his ankles, and a long tunic. A blue stripe ran down his front, and two blue strings hung from beneath the tunic on either side of his legs, knotted at the ends with a single white stone. Around his head lay the simple golden band which served as his crown, now tilted rackishly like a baseball cap. Splinter could almost see the white locks which once were long and tied back beneath the band, a symbol of his bloodlines. Now Jimmy scratched his mousy brown hair and limped over to the bed. "This really is torture you know... these _'clothes'_." He knelt down and motioned to himself. It was quite true, how different their garments were now. They had woken late that morning in royal chambers, stripped of their earthly possessions. Splinter had been left one of his old bed robes of yore. The only thing it seemed they could find that would fit his new strange form. He himself was more interested however in the new accomodations. His chambers had remained in immaculate form, right down to the personal effects on his dressing bureau. Apparently his room had not been touched since the seige that forced the court down into the underground tunnels. 

The prince seemed less interested with the room, and more bashful about the loss of his trunks. He hastily snatched up the clothes and dressed himself in the corner. Splinter found this briefly charming, then continued to survey his quarters. His old room was almost welcoming to his eyes, like a lukewarm bath. It put him at ease. He felt very much now like taking a rest to evade the pain of his wound, even though outside the door insurgents lurked. 

A doctor had come to cleanse and dress his wound earlier when it was apparent he might perish. He could still feel disorder inside him, and grew weaker as time grew. He did not tell his son this, to spare his emotions one less trauma. Jimmy laid his head down and sighed with irritation. "When are they gunna _get here_." He bemoaned. 

"In time, musuko, in time." A cold chill came through the room and they both shivered. "Come and rest." Jimmy crawled up onto the plush bed and curled up beside Splinter. It appeared once he had understood Splinter had once been his father he had immediately becoming affectionately attatched. Splinter petted his hair as he rested his head on the silkiness of the rats robe, careful not to disturb the dressed wound about his torso. He was a young Leonardo in training. _Leonardo... you will come soon my son... you would not leave your young charge here alone._

"Oh, he will be be here." His thoughts were answered before he could finish thinking them. Splinter shifted an eye towards the door, tilting his head enough to show he would listen politely. Jimmy on the other hand lept off the bed, ready to attack. He had received that trait from Raphael he was afraid to say. 

Just inside the door the sorceror of destruction stood surveying the room, as if it was one of the few times he had set eyes on it. His eyes roamed over the walls and finally settled on the rat propped up by pillows on the bed. He nonchalantly swept back a shard of white hair. 

"He'll be here soon." He repeated. 

"Then your fall will be here soon as well." A snuff of air responded. "My pupils and their disciples will overturn your forces." 

"Two of your guardians have already perished in their first battles." 

"_Erika!_" Jimmy cried. This amused the sorceror and he continued. 

"They are weak in, and foolish outside of the battle. I am personally looking forward to your clutzy tortoises fall over their enemies in hand to hand combat." Jimmy made a great roar and charged the man, wobbling a bit on his bad leg. He stumbled forward like a wounded duck and was greeted by a gracefully excecuted spin kick, sending him to the ground. 

"Ngh!" Splinter made an attempt to rise and in another second a fine sword was pointed at the princes' throat. 

"Stop." The sorceror commanded quickly. Splinter stopped, the clean reflecting on the metal danced for a moment, then stopped just as he. "There." Jimmy watched the tip of the blad while he inched around, preparing some escape back to Splinter. "Do you remember this?" He stopped when the man adressed him. "Well?" 

"....n-no?" 

"It's yours." The sheen of the blade danced again. "It might be entertaining to run you through with it, had I not other plans for you." He removed the sword and gave his side a kick to roll the boy away. "But yes, they will be here your highness." The sword sheathed back in its catchs. "And you are not the only awaiting their arrival." He left after his inspection was over and recast the seal spell on the door. 

He waited a few minutes outside to listen to their pending conversation. The prince expressed worry for his blood sibling, and the king went to explain theories of the tale of the warriors of sacrifice. Nikira snuffed and drew his sword again, walking down the elegant white corridor. Making circles in the air with the tip of the blade he called a sphere up, disclosing the actions of the advisors and the remaining elementals. They had formed the transportation ring and were in the process of dematerializing into light. Two of the freaks had taken their place on the dead elementals. They were unnatural, but they could still use guardian powers that were left unclaimed. They must've been the advisors. _Freaks..._ Nikira slashed the sphere in half, disapearing into air, and resheathed his sword. 

White lights sparkled and danced in splotches, spinning around in a sphere. Time slowed as energy moved through material space, twisting with a lack of compal direction. A light blue planet came up by the orb, swirled in white clouds like a marble. Many moons and tinier planets hovered around it serenely, like glitter specks. And a lone star sat astide them all, whisps of firey frey pluming out into space. 

The white globe descended down upon the little planet, circling down to a predestined point, far below the clouds, where surf crashed up on shore. The orb settled itself and time immediately snapped back into rhythm, the unstable particles of space that had been traveled through popped in little bursts to expend the extra energy left. 

The light of the ball dispersed out gently and left its carry on ground. The six occupants stood up from what appeared to be prayer kneeling and looked towards the sky. Finally a sun looked down on them, bringing memories of their home elsewhere. They stood looking at it for a time, then back down to each other in some silent relief. 

Around them stood a magnificent city, with tall tiered and steep pitched buildings of fine blue tile. Levels for walking were perfectly plane over tiers of even spaced buildings, and crossed over above the street. Clean cut white brick stacked side by side set as the road in crisp rows. The roads were lined with white crystal balls atop posts that served as street lights. 

In the center of the city was a beautiful crystalline palace, with tall jagged spires of white crystal that jutted into the sky. There was a great balcony that look out on the city, upon which was hung an unbecoming black tapesty, scrawled in red letters. 

Behind them was the ocean, which crawled up onto the street and trickled back down the slope. The youngest of the two girls walked to it an knelt down, spritzing water on her face. She placed a wet hand to her cheek and looked out over the water. An image of a young children playing in the surf came to her and she felt light headed. Splashing more water on her face she stood back up and rejoined her group whom examined their new setting. 

"Wow. Talk about plush." One male said to no one in particular. "Rit-_zy_." 

"We used to live here?" Another asked. 

"There." The eldest of all looked towards the palace. "Let's move-" A crescendoing hiss grew from the alley between the buildings. 

Raphael pivoted as an off key melody of sibilation chorused from all around them. The next second his daggers were out and poised as a small regiment of dragons emmerged from the alleys. Oil black transparent wings outstretched in a climactic state. He snarled and made a running jump into the closest one he could find. 

Long claws came up in response, Raphael rolled out of its way as far as he could. Long tears grew out of his shoulder as the claws drew down his arm. Raphael landed just as Donatellos bo cut the dragon in the middle. Raphael shot him a look for taking interferring. Don wasn't paying attention however and had moved into a defensive position against another. Raphael made up for his mistake by kicking the wounded dragons head it, sucessfully breaking the skull. 

Leonardo grabbed the hilts of his katanas and brought them out, parring his swords. He cut the first with a diagonal slash, and kicked it in the stomach to push it back out of the way. He could see a second coming up to his side from the corner of his eye. Its wings poised up and beat down several times in succession, lifting the creature off the ground the first few feet. He was coming forward just as the other fell to the ground. 

Leonardo made a swipe with his sword as he turned, slicing it through the stomach. As it fell from the air he completed the attack with his second sword downwards as he turned. 

Donatello made a wide swing of his bo, catching it under the feet of the dragon and half tripping him. It had seen the move coming though and was already halfway in the air. When the bo came around again for another blow he grabbed on, his claws extending into the wood like clamps. As Donatello struggled to free his staff he saw a few of the creatures escaping back into the alleys. He called Raphaels attention to it, giving a mighty tug on the bo. But the claws would not let loose. _Damnit, I **need** this to fight!_ The force of the flying beast backing upwards was pulling the staff out of his hands. _Will you get off already?!_ He gave it another hearty tug and suddenly vines emmerged from either end of the bo. They grew outwards till it seemed to feel it had enough to move with. Then, giving a small twitch, they flew forwards, spiraling around the dragon like some kind of disease. Don wished to let go, but was too entranced to leave. The vines climbed over the creature as it squwacked and cried out in protest, trying to let go and escape. But the vines had already bound its hands, and effectively fate. Soon enough the wings were reached, and the dragon dropped to the ground, flailing about. 

The vines detatched from the bo and finished binding the creature by creating more length within itself. It continued till it just about cocooned the thing, leaving a foot and a few fingers still visible. Donatello backed away from the slowly writhing pile and held his bo against him. 

Mike hopped around in defense, forming some kind of barrier for the girls. The two of them gave each other looks after being chastised by Mike for trying to leave his 'circle of protection'. There had seemed to be more enemies when they arrived, he though. The amount left were noticablely fewer. And some of those left standing were making a well intentioned retreat. Raphael caught a lingerer by the wings before it vanished with its bretheren. He propped his foot up against the small of its back, and actually tore its wings off with a mighty roar before the razor-like tail could slice him. Mike slowed to a stop as Raphael threw the wings down on the body and bellowed, nearly foaming at the mouth. 

"Shit Raph, take a pill, will ya?" Mike slowly put away his chucks, unsure that his brother might come over and fight him next. Instead Raph heaved his chest with intesity, his fists clenched for battle. He began shaking them around and raised them over his head as his friends watched. Fire shook out of his fists, some turned to fireballs around his hands, remaining bits flicking off onto the ground. 

A few puddles of water formed over the fallen flames to extinuish them, and Raphael glared at Lita. Leonardo sheathed his swords and Raphael lowered his fists. 

"Alright then." Leonardo looked at Raph a minute more before taking invnetory on the others. Lita was fine. Mikes bandage was bleeding, it looked like he had opened a new wound. Raphaels shoulder was torn like a bitch, and his own thigh had been torn by a misaimed swipe of a claw. The entire attack had lasted only a few minutes. It seemed accidental almost. And definitely without planning. 

Injuries weren't as bad as he expected it should have been. His forces had responded quickly enough he reason to himself. It was also that they didn't have any magic spells to deal with either. 

It occurred to him then that Mike should not have been protecting Erika and Lita. He himself was tempted to do so. You could never trust a girl in battle. Who knows what they'd go and do to fuck everything over. But they _would_ have been a help if there was any spell casting going on. Leo would have to speak to Mike about that. "Well, we can't stay out in the open now." Leonardo said while turning over the bodies of his foes, straightening them out. His brothers did the same, cleaning up their mess. 

"The entrance to the underground is around the west corner of this wing of the city. We can hid out there." Lita said as they stood up. 

"Take us there." Leonardo directed. Lita nodded and started walking towards one of the empty streets. "Mike," He pulled Mikey aside as they began walking. "...I don't want you guarding Lita or Erika from now on." Mike furrowed his brow and looked down. "We'll need them too much on the field." 

"...I was really guarding Erika." Leonardo sighed. "_I don't wann'er to die Leo._" 

"And I do? I don't want any more deaths than necessary. But sometimes I just.... Just stop guarding Erika, got it?" Mike mumbled to himself. 

"Yeah." He finally answered after some prodding. Leonardo nodded in a sort of satisfaction and looked forward again. He fought the anxiousness of being above ground, trying not to upset the rest of his team. They all needed to get underground, at least for some treatment if not for the safety. They were too open on the surface. Too vulnerable. They were in need of the reprieve of the underground yet again. 

His friends drew back fraternally together after the fight anyway. Like a job well done. pats on the back, and easy jokes all around. Or at lest between Mike Don and Erika. It was almost as they had done after their old fights with Shredder _Shredder...._ So friendly that when Lita collapsed in the street, Mike and Don were by her side in mere seconds. 

"Your Majesty! Your presence is unwarranted on grounds of this danger." King Artimus set his cane back to the floor after destroying an enemy soldier that had come upon him. His last surviving advisor, Sir Leonardo, tried not to frown at his abrupt appereance. "Please lord, return from whence you came."

"Old friend, you of all should be aware I am least of many who would stay quiescent while ones own inducements be failing mortally in post." Leonardo let his breath out through his nose and bowed his head. His chin was jerked back up by his lord and clean eyes emmanating blue light bore into his. "Your comrades hath met end, hereafter and forthwith you must care after their charges." His sight was jerked to the four elementals fighting rooftop by rooftop towards the fortress. "And I shall take custody for thee the same till your mission in be its repose." 

"You honor me, your eminence." His face was jerked back again. 

"Hold thy tounge, and thy own. Now, we go." Artimus let his chin go and proceeded across the roofslate, his white robes riding on a breeze, somehow not picking up any of the muck below it. Leonardo looked down at the pit of bodies below him, the foul scent of death offending his nostrils. He spotted a few men he had trained himself among the mass, thin lines of dried blood trailing down their chins. He shook his head and followed after his lord, little knowing how soon he would lie beside them. 

"My leige." The fire guardian knelt before the king and bowed her head, the first to finish her enemies. He placed a hand on her head and she stood. Lita was done a soon second, knocking a half dozen men off the side of the building, and down to their deaths. Sir Leonardo came up behind and placed a hand on her shoulder as the rest of the forces were cleaned up. "We are all venerated by thy royal presense." 

"Indeed. Now we must depart this rooftop however, intentioned fell power are near." Artimus turned and walked off towards the fortress, his cane end clacking against stone. The glimmerings of light from the cane top cast faint light on his robes, like a lighthouse in the eternal dark. Leonardo watched his lord in reverence as he disapeared onto the next roof. He took his first foot step after him and his breath caught. Looking down and raising a hand to his stomach, he took loose hold of the end of a fine dagger. His eyes narrowed curiously and he fell to his knees. Giving a deep chuckled he fell to his side, his eyes rolling back in his head. 

Lita looked down slowly, her eyes dilating. She saw the dagger hilt, and the blood that colored the stiff fabric a rusty brown. A thin line of blood began trickling down. She turned around in two almost clumsy steps, her feet making scuffing noises on the ground. 

Two pairs of eyes stared back at her, blinking here and there. "Parting is such sweet sorrow." One of them spoke. The taller of the two, seemingly the master. He brushed black chin length hair away from his face and gained a superior smile. The second smiled the same, this one with shoulder length white hair. "Ah Ha Ha." He added. Lita turned to Leonardo and dropped to her knees, lifting his head up. 

"Ah ha. Amusing indeed, my lordship." His colleague added. 

"You fight with such scandal, sir. You could only be-" Maddeline tool a step forward and stopped. 

"Correct, wench." The master waved his staff out, making a small streak of black energy that surrounded him, illuminating his face. "I am Shujin Tatakai, the master of war, and the master of you now that your foot steps land upon my tract." The fire guardian sneered and raised her fist before her chest. "This is Metsubo Nikira, ronin of destruction." Tatakai motioned to the white haired man, who drew his sword, branishing it with a grin. Tatakai set his staff back down and looked down at Lita, listening in on her quiet plaintiff words. 

"Leonardo, my heart of hearts.... Please dear one... Pray your lips move? ...if not to take breath, then speaketh mine name... _speaketh_" She sobbed, tears dropping onto his jaw. "Give me valediction I beseech." She whispered. The air was cut cleanly with Nikiras sword, stopping just at her throat. She dropped her head and sobbed, her shoulders shaking gently. 

"Nay." Tatakai held his staff end to Nikiras chest, looking down at the woman. "I am not wanting in honor... stealing life from this woman would err the child which she holds." 

"But _your grace!_ Our intendment!" Nikira growled. Lita took the sword point and placed it against her neck. 

"Aye, seize this pith, knave. Fulfill ye fancy... I h-hath died the moment his heart c-ceased its cadence." She pushed the blade against the hollow of her throat. 

"Nay I said." Tatakai tapped his staff against Nikiras chest and turned around. "Give time, we shall, for restoration of spirit. Once again complacent, these ladies shall face us anew inside the walls of our own fortress. The hasp shall we leave undone for ease." He added, disapearing down into the shadows. Nikira glared down at the woman for a time before pulling back, sheathing his sword. He turned on her and followed his lord off, leaving as she draped herself over the dead man. 

Lita began to weep, as she never had before. Her heart would've gladly died a thousands deaths, than to have known the slaying of her love even to a fraction of what she had already in the passing of hardly a minute. Her fingers clutched the stiff fabric of the tunic, as if they could hold onto his life force just a little bit longer. She didn't care for the akward eyes that looked down at her, acting like a fool. She didn't care at all. 

A burning hand on her shoulder forced her to cease for a moment, and give at least some care. She sat back up on her knees and looked behind her, still holding tight his shirt. Maddeline looked down at her, the rival tints gone from her eyes. Replaced they were with a sort of sympathy. Lita closed her eyes and cast her gaze downward. 

"Come now, for he is past." Lita took a shuttered breath and laid herself back over the body. Maddeline went to pull her back up again when she sat up on her own. She raised her brow and stepped back. Lita pointed the dagger tip against her stomach, holding it first loosely in the palms of both hands. 

"Nay, for I shall follow where he goes. Nothing shall hence cleave our love - and everlastingly we shall keep." King Artimus appeared back again, leaning on his cane contemplatively. Lita tightened her grip on the hilt and took tentative breath, her shoulders tensing in preparation.... Her eyes softened and she let the dagger roll from her fingers. "Nay indeed.... Why am I not competent to this... why does mine mind cry proceed, and-and mine fingers cry stay." Her voice softened. "What confusion is there in my heart that delays my hold... is this animation in the pit of my stomach my love holding me so fixed? Why may I not join him....?" 

"Pray, awaken some sensibility." Artimus lifted her jaw with the end of his staff. "Do not heave your heart into your mouth, for I feel you will discharge it most volitally." She cried out and knocked his staff away. 

"Hath you no mercy? I show my heart not for you, but for I must. What has been taken from me I cannot express, nor could you comprehend... Leave me now." She draped herself back over Leonardo. "I shall stay, and wait here for end, for there is no where else to end." Artimus set his staff down again. Maddeline looked between her two comrades before taking the first step toward Lita. She had never given much damn about mending broken hearts... 

"Come Lita, you _must_ lead us. We entreat you. Stand and bring us to battle as ye have always." Lita turned her head to the side, her shoulders shaking softly. "If you cannot fight, then instruct us. Find resolve to this bloodshed, Lita... before it is too late." She sat up after many akward moments, wiping her eye, now glowing with the royal families light. 

"This... _war_... without foundation of honor. Only fancies for aching egos, and jealous hearts. Destroying all, even what it cannot brave- it will consume." She held her stomach. "I... cannot fight. And I cannot instruct. For these afrontings will close in nothing but the blackest sorrow. This must close before any one life is again emptied." She hobbled to her feet, nearly falling over. Maddeline caught her, and set her straight. "...We shall leave these dying worlds, and find another home... there we shall begin again...away from the hurt, and life underground. We shall live again, and be happy... I shall seal this away... and give it to the future! come my friends, clasp palm to palm each and others." Lita took the Kings hand and gave it to Maddeline's in place of her own, the other elementals joining hands. She stepped back as the four powered up. Kneeling again beside her dead lover she raised his head, as if to address him. "And you, sweet sweet soul. I shall bring your spirit.... Leonardo... We shall transcend time... to live again, this time... perhaps we'll find happiness." She bent down and kissed him lightly, white light drowning out color. A burst came, and the bodies lay strewn on the ground. 

The winds of the land blew, and blew, postluding the new reign of silence. 


	22. chapter 22

Untitled Document Out from the shadows of the alley the sun peeked from behind buildings. It shone so free out in the open, yet it's rays were scarce to find in the alleyways. The turtles snuck through these shadows, eyes darting to each strange sound. Quick footwork and light steps took them through the city briskly, like a not quite invisible breeze. 

Bounding off a building side, Michelangelo landed atop a small scaffolding. He hunkered down and surveyed things that had caught his eye. Sun streaks through window curtains cast faint light on his face, and over his eyes. He glanced back without moving his head and motioned to his brothers who had stood frozen in shadow. They started moving again, keeping stooped low as if running under a low ceiling. Quickened steps landed softer then ever, and bandandas blew behind them in their own breeze of momentum. 

Once more Mike leapt, forgetful of the jarring pain in his abdomen, till he landed again. A sour expression crossed his face, which was swallowed down as he checked over his shoulder again. His brothers came up from behind in silence, looking down on the gateway before them. A rectangular panel was inlet to the ground, flat and plain in appearance. This, as opposed to the half dozen others they had found was marked with a gilded fringe, eroding away into the stone adjacent to it. 

Unspoken words transpassed between them and the panel was somehow hefted up, with nimble fingers that had grown accustomed to prying metal sheets off of streets. The unassumingly thick piece was set down quietly, and more footsteps carried them down below. Hands pushed the panel up from below and drew it back into it's place, settling in without commotion. 

The small platform groaned beneath the weight, and tossed its dust off its open edge. A stale stench lingered in the air, and clung to the cold walls. With the gate again shut the room was shrouded in darkness. Donatello bumped into a few arms as he descended onto his knees, searching with his hands for the perimeter of the confines. He crawled about for a time, until his fingers clasped over an open edge. Giving a small grunt for attention he turned himself around and ventured a foot over the side. It hit another shorter platform that seemed to indicate the first step of a staircase. He reached back and tapped someones foot, aiming them in his direction. Once he heard mumblings of his information being passed he began his adventuring down the steps. 

A short train began tailing downwards, feet falling tentatively on cold steps. Down deeper and deeper they descended, for many long minutes that made the front of their shins ache. Donatello led the way, till he hit floor, taking an akward lunge forward where he expected another step to be. As he turned around to warn his brothers Raphael fell into him with an angered grunt. He was pushed forward and stumbled to keep step. 

Raphael held his hand out and produced a flame on his older brothers command. It illuminated them into a large room, where the stairs had finally led them to. The floor was baren, as well as the walls. Exempt for torches left unlit, hitched up with metal braces. As his brothers joined him on solid ground Raphael made a gun with his forefinger and thumb, shooting bursts of fire to the torches and lighting them in sucession. This gave the giant room it full appearance. Although there was nothing particularly full _about_ the room. The tall hall was a clammy light yellow color all over. Barren of all life. A few narrow hallways led off into more darkness. 

"That's good." Leonardo walked out in front and was followed by brothers. "Don, get the first aid kit out." Michelangelo and Erika hurriedly took the blankets out and made a nest out of them while Don set up the medical supplies, Raph looking over his shoulder from a distance. Stale air stuck to their skin, and prompted their throats to cough, but stuck their vocal cords. 

Leonardo kneeled down and laid Lita in the blankets. She moaned faintly in response, her legs laying themselves straight. Leonardo waited by her side a few moments to see if any other noises would surface. He brushed her hair out of her face and stood back up. "Here Mike." Michealangelo sat beside the little station his brother had set up and laid back as Don began removing the tape from his bandages. "Erika, would you check up Lita. And Raph, you're after Mike." Raphael grunted in response and left to wander around the hallways. "_And don't go too far._" 

"Sweet jesus, Mike." Don whispered, blotting up blood. A pair of big brown eyes looked up at him upon hearing this. 

"What is it?" He asked. Don swiped his plastron with a soggy piece of guaze and rummaged through his tin of things. 

"Nothing. Don't worry about it." He mumbled. 

"No, _what_" 

"Nothing, ok?" Don squirted some gel on his fingers and dotted it on the crack beginning again to bleed, that had grown on Mikes' stomach. "Everything's fine." Mike pursed his lips and laid his head back again. Don gelled over the crack and sutured it shut best be could before redressing the bandage. Mike had fallen asleep, so he tucked the backpack under his head and laid a blanket over him. 

Leo turned from examining the walls as Don tapped his shoulder. His face reflected the same concern as Donatellos after only glancing at him. "What." 

"Mike. I... he's bleeding pretty bad. I think part of a rib broke off from the inside of his carapace. It's look like he's shredding up inside." Leonardo frowned. "I could try to take it out, but I don't know where it is, or how deep. And after that there's nothing I could really do about the bleeding." 

"...How long." 

"I don't know. What I'm pretty sure of is the more he moves around the shorter he has." Leo looked over at the torch, his iris's shrinking. "I think the bleeding's slowed. He's sleeping now." 

"...Alright. Let him rest. We'll stay down here till night." Leo ran his hand over his head. "What do we have left." 

"A few more bandages, some tape, disinfectant, cold pack, a box of band aids, and masters salve." 

"Do what you can for Raph with that. I'll go see if there's some water around here." 

"Alright. Just send Raph out if you find him." Leonardo looked around the room, without finding his brother. "I think he wandered off that way awhile ago." He nodded and started off down one of the hallways. Don looked back at camp, then walked back to it. 

"Go back to camp, Don's getting ready for you." Raph slanted his eyes to the sides of their sockets, as if he could see behind him this way. After a few silent moments he looked forward again. "...Raph. Camp." He felt no need to respond. When Leo placed a hand on his shoulder though he felt obligated to put him in his place. Grabbing the wrist as an axis, he pulled it forward and down as he spun out of his sitting position, through a low spin kick, tripping him at the shins. Leonardo fell forward as his brother turned out of the spin. He jutted his foot back and hit Raphaels shell, knocking him to the ground. They both grunted as they hit the ground, and flipped back to their feet. 

"I'll go back when I _want_." Raph jutted his hands out and fired off balls of flame in his brothers general direction. They burst in flashes and licks of fire as they missed Leonardos swift feet, hitting the floor and back wall of the bedroom. He leapt onto the bed and hunkered down in preparation to make another leap if need be. 

"That's enough Raph." Raphael snarled, his fists powering up. 

"_Fuck you!_" Leonardo snatched the blanket off the bed and threw it at the fire ball Raph shot at him. The blanket caught aflame and fell to the ground. Leonardo jumped through the disguising smoke, reaching out to grab his brother. He was dodged and knocked away, rolling back onto his feet. 

"_Raphael..._" He said in warning. He raised back into a defensive position as Raphael bared his hands as claws. Bits of flame would jump from his fingernails here and there. The two circled each other in some infernal game of ninja chess. Raphael snarled. 

"This is your fault you know..." 

"_What_. This isn't my fault" 

"If you weren't always out to strangle that wizard fuck he woulda left us alone!" Raphael gave the flaming blanket a kick at him. It flew onto Leonardos chest and legs, wrapping around like a wet tissue. "_You're_ always chasing Lita's tail, got pissed off someone else looked at her and dragged us in with you, _mother-fucker!_" 

"That's enough!_ Stop!_" Leonardo threw the blanket off and flipped from standing to the other side of the room, landing shell to shell with Raphael. He hooked his elbow to elbow even before he had landed. With a grunt he lifted a writhing Raphael off the ground and flipped him over his head onto the floor. Ironic, since Raph was the WCW fan. "I said," Leonardo dropped onto the floor, his knees on either shoulder to hold him down. "_Stop it._" Raphael sneered, still thrashing around best he could. 

"Admit it you shit head! We're always being dragged along for your vendettas, _ass licker!_ Just like when you couldn't finish off Shredder!" Leonardo gnarled and slammed Raphs shoulders down. 

"Fine, you want me to say it?" 

"_Yeah!_" 

"Fine. I fucked this one! Anything else?!" 

"....no." 

"Good! 'Cause I'm still calling the shots around here, _snot_, and I'm telling you to _go back to camp._" He snarled. Raphael's dark eyes looked back up at him with a disquieting blankness. Leonardo rolled back up on his heels and stood up. "Go." He commanded. The burning blanket behind him made long shadows. Raphael stood up to be head to head with him, but found them not to be measured on the same scale. His eyes gave another display flare of anger and he stalked off. The blanket began simmering down, the mass of fabric burnt out. Leonardo turned his head a few degrees behind him toward the door. He waited several minutes. Then walked out after Raphael. 

As day set, the light of the torches began dimming. As if they could feel the movements of heavenly bodies in their light. The air became cleaner with new breath. And the homestyle scent of bushes baked beans cleared out the past mothballs smell.

Donatello worked rigging up a stretcher out of materials he snatched from the surface, tying bars together with leather straps he had torn from his belt as a long frame. Raphael helped him by turning the rest of the belts into strips, sitting across from him on the other side of the frame. 

Erika started the fire and pot by Michelangelo while he slept. She hoped the smell of food would make him feel better. Instead he dreampt of being drowned in a sea of baked beans. Clutching a piece of ever soggy bread as a life preserver. 

Leonardo had made repeated trips to the underground reservoir refilling the water flasks. He gave it to Erika to boil. And spent the rest of his time hovering over Mike to keep him from turning about in his sleep. There was little else he could do then. Michelangelo settled down enough to let him leave for a moment, he went to tend to Lita. 

He knelt down beside her and folded his hands in his lap. Lita still lay where she had been set, her tee shirt twisted around some. Her mouth opened just so while she breathed in, and her bottom lip pouted just a little when she breathed out. 

Leonardo reached out and brushed a shard of of spiked hair behind her ear. His hand drifted down along the apple of her cheek, down her cheek bone. Up to the bridge of her nose and down to the indentation below it. He pursed his lips, tilting his head to the side. His finger trailed down slowly and rested on her bottom lip. He left it there and watched her eyes, forgetting briefly his station. 

"Leonardo..." Her lips moved under his finger. He looked at it, and up into her eyes with some expectation. Warm fingers moved over his hand and held onto it. Lita's eyes opened gradually and smiled without moving her mouth. Leonardo straightened his head. "Here you are..." 

"Lita..." He found his fingers beginning to curl around hers. She blinked several times, and the moment vanished. 

"Oh." Their hands slipped from each other and Lita rolled over, onto her stomach, then up on her knees. She folded her hands on her knees, her eyes cast downwards. "Um," Her face turned red and she laughed while scratching the back of her head. "_Ha ha_, Hi!" She cocked her head to him and laughed nervously a few times more. "Eh, heh heh heh..." 

Stagnant water sat like concrete in the reservoir, a thin layer of dust laying atop the surface like a table cloth. Lita sat on the actual concrete, kicking her legs over the edge of the scaffold, hanging her head. Behind her she could hear the agitated paces of Leonardos feet cease for a second when he looked down at her, then begin again. She laid back on the floor and he stopped in front of her, looking authoritaritive. She wouldn't buy it though. 

"...This is the _second_ time you've had these flash backs." She nodded once. "When were you planning on telling me?" 

"I thought the first one was a dream. I didn't know it was anything important." Leonardo scoffed and looked away, his discontent for her lack of prudence showing. Lita felt pain from his look, but was too sad this time to pout. She looked down and turned her head to rest on the floor. 

"If you could only--... just..." 

"Remember?" Leonardo refused to accept her finishing of his sentance. It was what he would've said, though. His manners forbade him to do so however. He looked down at her and let his rebelious eye soften. His manners always came first in his mind when he was around her. Why was he allowing them to come to his mouth only now. Especially when he had many retorts developing in reserve . 

Yes, why did he allow her this respect. She was weak. She always was a weak crybaby. Pouting and posing and running crying to Splinter whenever he yelled at her. He never understood why he got stuck with such a silly crybaby of a girl. Girls. What silly little puffs of emotion. Desiring to be reflections of male fantasies. If they weren't prancing about with a cold shoulder they were draping themselves over the nearest source of all consuming attention. And if they weren't required for the survival of the world he might just swear them off all together. And _she_ would be the first on his list... 

Then why... what were those times when the clouds she veiled over her eyes drew back, and he could see the deep spirit she held hidden from everyone. Those times when he wanted to help her, at least befriend her, and she yelled and ran away. What was it that pushed him far away. What was the truth she held in her soul that he so despreately wanted to see. And why should he care? 

Why _should_ he care. She was a silly crybaby after all. He had no time to deal with her shenanigans. He looked down at her and his hard edge returned. "You're staying back by Mike from now on." Her head whipped up and he could see the shock, outrage, and almost indignation written all over her face. 

"No way!" Her feet scraped against the floor as she scrambled to her feet. "You can't do that!" He straighened his back as she stood up in front of him. 

"What would you expect we do if you had another black out. It would slow us down if I had to carry you around. That way we could just keep you on the stretcher with Mike and keep moving." She made an offended little noise and her eyes stretched wider. 

"I'm not a _dead body_ you know. You can't throw me around like a sack of grain!" 

"If you act like one I'll have to." He watched as she began stomping and pacing around. It amused him and he continued to watch her for several moments while she contemplated his orders. Dust kicked up with all the activity and he went up near the water to watch the vibrations her liveliness made. _Liveliness... or loveliness...?_ A deep voice suggested in his head. Leonardo jumped out of his shell. He pivoted around to catch who had given him the fright, remembering leaving his swords at camp. Just as he began to turn Lita shoved him over the edge with some vicious strength. "_**Fuck!**_" He swore as he toppled backwards. 

**_Keeerrrrr-SPLASH!!!_**

Water swallowed him up like a lost child in a crowd, kicking and screaming.  
The first thing that came to his mind was how Lita was _not_ going to let him up. It scared him a bit as he thrashed around under the surface. He knew that he could stay under water for a good half an hour he reminded himself as he quickly ran through his own docket of the situation. Lita didn't appear to know this, for she let him come to the surface for breath. 

Breaking through to air he shook his head to swipe the wet bandana tails away from his face. They landed on the top of his head and began to slide downwards in a most undignified manner. Lita stood at the edge of the platform to look down at him. She crossed her arms and frowned, showing she wished to have kept him under longer. He snarled at her for the first real time. 

His better judgement warned him, but some stupid cockier side of him drove him to speak. "That all?" She gave another unintentional scoff and kicked dirt in his face. The puff hit his face and stuck to him like a pack of hungry misquitos. His skin itched like crazy and he wiped it with the side of his arm, ceding some relief. Giving the bandana tails a flick with his hand as he finished, he continued to glare. 

"How does it feel." 

"What, itchy and cold?" She knelt down by the water. 

"No, being treated like a peice of meat." He grabbed her arm. 

"Why don't you tell me." Giving a yank she was jerked forward alongside him. She screamed, and as he passed her the thought occured to him that it might not have been the best time to do that. Too late. 

The water swallowed her as well, but much more amicabley. She disapeared under the surface without making a ripple of disturbance. Like a mermaid she disapeared into the cloudy water, as if wishing some escape. 

Leonardo swam over to the platform and set his arm upon it for support. His legs were tiring from treading water with the bulky shell. He waited for her not too long, and she resurfaced. 

Watery anger poured from her face and she seemed to be wishing him dead. His legs felt heavier, and to sluggish to kick. "Mother fucker." Lita climbed up ontop the waters surface as if it was solid land and knelt. She watched as Leonardo took a sudden sluggish approach to swimming. The water around him turned to a thicker consistancy, like that of mollases. As long as he was hanging in her element she would not grant him the same liberties as others... she wouldn't kill him either. The thought did enter her mind though.   
But it wasn't him she even wanted to have done away with. It was those memories he brought out in her, that made her stomach turn. 

All those others that had hurt her. Every hand she had been passed through that had naried to give her a second glace. Every family. All those who had tired too quickly for caring of a homesick baby. Those who struck adventurous children that made to much noise. He who called young girls fat and ugly. And she who had done it all. Had literally chained her home. Had hit, and yelled, insulted, and ignored. Had made her so small. 

He had rescued her from that, had he naught? Often she wondered, though. If not for his oh-so-imperitive task to complete, would he have come for her? Would he still be her 'knight in shining armor'. Or would he have turned away. Would he have left her. Like all the others. 

Strange that these were the things that kept her awake at night. Was she afraid to think that someone cared about her. Or afraid that someone didn't. 

All this he evoked in her everyday. And everyday she questioned her trust in him. When he demanded her trust. That was when she failed. And when he then became angry. And she became angry. They were both angry and they walked away from it all. Some relief at least from her troubled thoughts. 

And what were these times now. When waking up she could feel his life force. Could feel his heart beat in her fingers. When every part of her knew how to trust, and knew soully trust in him. How she wanted to crawl up beside him and feel his pulse. 

And as she woke from that state, she began to wish to feel it all again. She wished she could trust him, like nothing she'd ever wanted before. And then she was awake, and would like nothing more to go far away where no one could touch her... Where no one could touch her like he did. 

But now all these thoughts were erased, for she knew the truth. Leonardo was just like all the rest. Just around to use her for his goal, and leave her when he was done. She was right all along. She was just a piece of collateral. A functional posession that talked back. 

Well. She was ready to do a _whole_ lot more than that right now. Her brow furrowed and her lower lip stuck out in a sort of angry face, too proud to quiver. 

"Mother fucker." She muttered. Leonardo seemed unimpressed with her rebutal. "You're just like everyone else, you big stupid dickhead! I was stupid to think you were any different!" 

"How true." She yelled with her mouth closed and clenched her fists. 

"Go fuck yourself assbite!" He rolled his eyes. "I wouldn't even be helping you if it wasn't for Splinters sake. Dirtbag!" He actually glared at her. Apparently he considered this some disrespect. 

"Your nobility is just wonderful." Something snapped in Lita and she screamed. Not particulaly in pain. Like intense frustration... and some pain. Leonardo felt the water behind him start to part. In front of him it began to push back.... 

Darkness briefly broken by moonlight through heavy clouds. Sponged light blotches reflected back off crawling shores... feelings of fear... 

Leonardo shook his head out of the peculiar memory that forced its way to his memory. He was still being pressed against, kicking up a wake behind him as the water made way for him away from the platform. A wave of nausea came as he felt another memory coming. 

Sand. Sand everywhere, and it seemed to get in the way. Hands searched over it in darkness, and he was calling out. Calling out to himself? There were surging feelings of trepidition, and sand stuck on his pants... 

Swimming against the current was futile, but he still made some opposing strokes in the water with his arms so Lita wouldn't throw him around anywhere she liked. What _was_ that bitch doing anyway. He struggled to turn around some to look back where she was. 

Lita sat still on the waters surface, clenched up in agitation like he'd never seen. It was as if she was no longer in conrtol of what she was doing. Which only served to scare the shit out of Leo... 

Clouds parted to cast faded light down upon the water. Empty. Almost listless. But something reached him. He could feel something that told him otherwise. Something scary, and new. He ran toward the water, tearing off his clothes. Something occured to him that if he swam nude he could reach his destination by disintigrating to a solution with the water, and rematerializing wherever he pleases.... 

_Holy shit!_ Leonardo suddenly relized he was recieving Lita's memories. She seemed to be eminating them in such an excited energy state. He was living the memory of some point when she was looking for someone. Him? Before his mind could jump to the next conclusion another wave of nasuea came and he stopped. Not only that, but he stopped moving. The water finally let him be, and settled back into placid peace. 

He looked up across the reservoir with caution, treading water slowly as he could. She appeared to be done, and only looked back at him. None of the anger had left her yet. 

"_I'm not coming to get you this time! You're on **your own!**_" She called to him. He sent her a look and shrugged, shaking his head. This frustrated her, and he promptly recieved what felt like a punch between his legs. He grimaced and stifled a groan. If he didn't have a protective plastron she might've done some damage. "_I don't care!!_" 

"_What, should** I?**_" What was he doing? Giving her more reason to drown him. Hmm... She was just boiling over with turbulence now. 

"mm.... A-hm....?" A timid throat clearing broke through at last durring a quiet spot in time. It felt aknowledged after no one interuppted it and continued. "Mike's awake. Don said you wanted to know right away. He started packing up the things." Leonardo cleared his throat and at last averted his gaze from Lita. 

"Thank you Erika." She smiled timidly to either of them and came to the edge of the platform as Lita began to pull herself up, taking her hand and pulling her up beside her. Leonardo swam towards the ground as dignified as possible. Fortunately Lita ran off instead of watching and making a mockery of him. "Go on." Erika bowed to him and followed, taking a left down the hall after Lita, in the opposite direction of camp. Leonardo gave a sigh of relief and climbed back up onto solid ground. His head and stomach throbbed, and he allowed himself to collapse over briefly. "Ug." 

What a day. What a retched day. Fight with dragons, fight with Raph, fight with Lita. He wasn't too proud of that last one. And now he had go explain to Mike why he wouldn't be walking with them. Unless Don already had._har har._ Don was all brains and no balls. He probably left the talk for him. 

Raph was going to be even more non-responsive than before. Now that he had been put in his place. That was going to be a cake walk. Which left Erika. And she had been acting exceptionally fragile ever since Noriko was killed. He wondered if either of them were stable enough to fight. 

Considering returning home to recuperate was varied inversely with Splinters well being. Returning now might also do more harm to them than good as well. And how would time pass here as opposed to back on Earth. Hadn't they crossed a dimensional barrier? He should ask Lita. 

Don should ask Lita. 

Just another day in the life of a superhero Leonardo quipped to himself. He climbed back to his feet. Movements in the water attracted his eye to the reflection cast by the platform. A black splotch of color passed, like a sparrow... 2 more sparrows... 

A droning hiss echoed down the hall, and hushed softly. Leonardo jumped out into the hall, parring the swords he snatched up as he ran. A flash of black wings disapeared around the corner, and the hall was empty. 

_Ba-Boom.... boom ba boom boom boom_

Lights blasted down the hall, like a series of yellow-orange fireworks were being set off back at camp. Reverberations soon followed, Leonardo took off toward camp. 


	23. chapter 23

Untitled Document "Lita..." Farther into the labernyth of halls lights seemed to die down. From many aspects it was like the sewers all over again. Only these tunnels stuck of stale air, instead of refuse. 

Far into the back of the complex, shabby ghost towns were erected out of boards and plaster. Scrappy and disintigrating cloth still stuck to some box like houses, and fluttered to the ground in commotion. "_Lita, hold up, would you!_" Lita finally stopped running and stood in place. Erika stopped looked around. "Where is this?" 

"_sniffle_ I dunno." An arm came up and wipped her nose, not turning around. She was still soaking wet, and her hair flopped down like it had been touched by death. She had completely wilted. 

"Are you crying?" 

"_No._" Lita turned around and crossed her arms over her chest. Her eyes were red and puffy looking. "Not crying." She mumbled. 

"Camp is back that way." Lita rolled her eyes and walked to one of the boxes, her shoes making squishy noises. 

"I know that." 

"So why are we out here?" 

"I don't know why _you're_ here." Erika wrinkled her brow and folded her hands in front of her. 

"Well, lets get back to camp now. We don't want to hold them up." 

"Oh yeah, _we don't wanna do that._" Litas' head bobbed back and forth. 

"Why don't-" 

"_shhh!_" Litas' hand suddenly clamped over her mouth. A strange look came to her eyes and she pulled Erika into one of the crates on a matress. 

"What is it?" She whispered. Lita shushed her and pulled a slate of wood over to box them in, light seeping in through a bitty crack. She shimmied back and pressed her back against the crate. Erika crawled back next to her and leaned over to catch her attention in the dark. What _was_ she doing? Yet another hand came over her mouth and she was pushed back away from the front of the crate. 

Echoed hisses jived down the hall, ending abruptly as if waiting for reverberating signals. Several seconds came and went. Puffs of dust blew in under the bottom of the sheild board while feet passed. 

Erika stiffled a squeak and grabbed Litas hand. Lita shot her a look. _Calm the fuck down, Erika. We'll be fine as long as you don't panic. This isn't like Jurassic park or anything._ They could hear the sensitive nostrils draw in long breaths, followed by quick short ones. It felt as if they were gaining tunnel vision, eyes darting about to suppliment the senses they cut off in the box. 

_Shit Erika, this is so not the time to get claustrophobic._ Lita felt her hands' life being squeezed from it. She could sense Erika feeling trapped in, without escape. How many cardboard boxes had she slept in anyway? 

"_Eeeeeek!_" Erika snapped. She kicked the board out and shuffled outside, pulling Litas hand along with her. It was a clumsy climb to get out from the box and onto their feet while they were still holding hands, but some how they did it. A good half dozen dragons froze in place as they emmerged, staring incredulously. Erikas eyes darted around somemore as she relized what she had just done. "_EEEEEEEEEK!!_" Another scream left her lips, and seemed to queue the dragons to movement. They unfolded their wings to a full span and hissed, turning all their attention to the two of them. 

But before they had a chance to attack... and before Erika had a chance to stop screaming they were off. The ground suddenly shifted. Or seemed to at least, for Lita was soaring through the air- farther and farther yet away from dragons. A breeze had picked her up and carried her away like a bullet. 

For a moment Lita worried that Erika had simply sent her off so she could fight alone. Then she relized that Erika was all around her. She could sense her spirit surrounding her, like a casing that flew her through the air. Warm air began circulating around her simultaneously and dried the water out. 

"Thanks Erika." Lita turned around to lay on her back and looked down the hall. The dragons had taken flight in chase, zipping down the hall behind them with a great speed. They were a fast bunch. 

"Yep." They pivoted around a corner and took a left at a fork in the path. "I'm sorry about back there. Guess I panicked." 

"Yeah." Lita scoffed. The warm air curved around and dried one of her tears off her chin. Suddenly she didn't feel as smug. Erikas spirit comforted her on the ride. It carried her off away from her problems. But really, she was only making it worse. 

Turning through many forks in their path both forgot to keep track. Directions became questionable, and after a long period of travel they lost their orientation all together. All that they understood was that somewhere behind them was an enemy. That kept them moving. Deeper and deeper through the city they trekked. 

Soon they found the split paths becoming fewer and fewer. The appearence of partially habitated tunnels lessened. They were coming up on a dead end, yet dare not stop. 

"...Erika....._Erika..._" Lita watched as they descended upon a cement wall that closed off the tunnel. Erika didn't even see it, for they didn't even slow down. "_ERIKA!_" 

"I see it!" Lita screamed as they hit the wall. Poreous holes in the wall widened. Solid atoms pressed together to make room for a growing hole. Wrinkles in the surface appeared as rock spread apart to let them through. Lita continued to scream as they traveled inside the rock. She watched as the surface closed up behind them, and the stone releasing back into its original state. 

"Oh sweet jesus." She muttered. In front of them the rock continued to spread apart with the growing of poreous bubbles. She felt Erikas spirit begining to strain. "What's wrong?" 

"I'm slowing down.... I'm not powerful enough." Lita began to feel her slowing momentum. The shaking sound of the rock parting began to dwindle like a fading heart attack. She clasped her hands together and placed her forehead against them, closing her eyes shut as hard as she could. _Donatello..... Don, hear me! ... We're stuck.... You've gotta help us. Use Noriko's power....._

Woraal curled his nostrils up as he sucked in air. Behind him his men stopped, begining to sniff as well. The humid warm air of Selphi had a tendancy to pick up scents, escpecially new ones. That was what had drawn him and his platoon down to the intruders early that morning. They had not been expecting a fight in the first place. Then he had done something really stupid as to move into battle. 

Three quarters of the battalion was decimated. The rest of which he had managed to retreat with. Morale was low, until they reached HQ again. After they spoke to Tatakai and Nikira they were hooked up with two new platoons, and sent out again to seek revenge. A med squad was rumored to have been sent to the battle zone. Good lot of good it would do now. 

Woraal was again in command, and ordered to canvass east quadrant of the city for the adversary. His men were in a high state of agitation, eager for action. They didn't seem to understand they were not under any orders to attack. Maybe his words had not been heeded. Hmm.... 

They uncovered another sunken panel in the ground. There were hundreds of them over the city, all just doors leading to the missing pavement. That stupid family had placed them all over the place to throw everyone off their trail. Of course they hadn't anticipated that anytime later the barren streets would allow a single signature scent trail right to the real entrance. 

A subtle gilded fringe edged the door. It seemed promising. Woraal directed two of his new soldiers to lift it. The men stepped away to make a path for them, baiting the air with anticipation. 

"If this isn't it, I swear to god I'm gunna blow something off the ground." Someone mumbled. 

"I'm gunna keep looking. Did you see what that freak did to Yohans' younger brother? They're insane. They can't be loose here." 

"Yeah." Talk settled down as the panel was lifted. This one was many times thicker than the others already. The men sucked in their breaths and looked over each others shoulders to see. Light bounced off the floor of a room, and cheers raised up in success. Wings extended and the troops began to move below. 

"_>Stop!_" The men froze. "Right there...." Woraal waited as the soldiers back away. He furrowed his brow ridge and ruffled his wings till they settled down a bit. "We move in silence. We don't attack. Remember this?" More mumblings answered and he gave a smart nod. "Good. Now follow." Woraal climbed down first, and started down some partially illuminated stairs. Footsteps fell in place behind him, and trailed after him down the stairs. Down and down they went. These people sure were walking freaks. 

It seemed like a good half a mile under they went in the dark. No torches were allowed. Eventually though, new light came in from below. The procession slowed and tip toed down below. 

Woraal signaled for the others to stop, and snuck down himself to investigate. Peering around the corner he found an enourmous hall. It was totally barren of furnishing, and was by all definitions abandoned. He counted five doorways that lead away from it, and instantly divided up one of the platoons to investigate. 

Inside the hall was what he was really looking for. Or, mostly. Three of the shelled creatures were there, with supplies. That left one more, and two to four females by his accounts. They must be off somewhere. He motioned for the men to come down and sent them off to sneak down the halls. The shelled ones were busy with one who was wounded and weren't paying attention to what was going on in the far end of the hall. 

Woraal waited until the platoon was safely away until he snuck out in with his own company. Tatakais' orders were for capture, but did not completely forbid any assault. It wouldn't hurt. Them... 

30 or so soldiers, and three officers creeped up across the hall. They felt almost amused at the simplicity of their attack, being wide open from all sides and not noticed in the least. He could smell the adreniline pumping in the veins behind them, feeding off each other. Claws slowly extended, but remained by their sides. About 20 yards off, someone in the back chuckled. 

The three shelled ones jerked their head up, and adreniline burst through them as well. With practiced precision they eached bared their claws and hissed. Two terrified screams responded, and one creature hasitly fumbled for weapons. The company descended upon the three swiftly, eyes wide with excitment. 

They were greeted with a burst of fire, that set them back a second. In that second one jumped forward and impaled Woraal on a spike. He looked right into his black eyes and spoke odd gibberish, which he took to be some sort of insult. The spike was pulled out, and the creature was gone in a flash. Woraal grabbed his plastron and made a face, dropping to his knees. All around him he heard the battle begining. He swore at his sour end and dropped down to on his face. 

"_EEEEEEEWW!_ Get it off me!!" Donatello groaned as he rolled the huge dragon off Michelangelo. The body flopped the wrong way on the wings and sounded like it broke one of them. Mike didn't take anytime to expand on his original 'Eeew', and immediately grabbed his nunchucks. He must've seen them being hidden in the bag. 

"Hold up." Don grabbed his hand and set it down. "Stay put." 

"But-" Don jumped up and grabbed his bo before the idle dragons got bored with Raph. He didn't need to worry about getting action. He counted thirteen that diverted their attention to him. These were bigger than the ones they had fought before. They looked at least twice as meaner as well. Donatello sucked in his breath and raised his bo. 

Frenzied claws swiped in confusion through the air, driving Raphael back farther and farther. He gritted his teeth and slashed back with his daggers. It drove them off a few inches, but then they were back again. He didn't want to use the fire power any more than he needed to, and he didn't want to use it now. Was there any other choice though? He checked back for a split second. Mike was still on the stretcher, his nunchucks had been tossed away. Don guarded him as best he could with the bo, even though it had turned to a shredded piece of wood. He appeared worried about that, knowing that in a few minutes it would be about as useful as a a glass of beer for fighting. 

Raphael pulled out the crystal from beneath his belt and held it in both hands, pressing the hilts of his sai against it without time to put them each away. His arms tightened themselves, in some hope that things would act fast enough before the dragons got to him. He felt a great stinging pain on his face, then his ears ringing. Clamping his eyes shut he could still see the torches exploding. One after the other burst like a tank of gasoline had been thrown upon them. Spheres of fire blew out down from one end of the hall to the other, not enough to fry anyone. It did distract the dragons though. 

Raphael sheathed one sai and resumed fighting with one sai and the crystal. Still clumsy with it though, he found himself occasionally slugging someone with the fisted stone before finishing them off. He began enjoying himself again, and wiped away the wetness growing over his lip. 

Out of in the corner of his eyes he saw Leonardo return, wet and surprised, katana in hand. He gave the torch beside the door a slice, and it fell down beside him with a burst of flame. Some of the dragons took notice and flew over from Don to Leonardo. 

Donatello sucked his breath in as a kicking pair of clawed feet came at his stomach. His bo came around from beneath and swept up beneath the heel, flipping the horizontally flying dragon onto his back. These guys hadn't had a real fight in a _looooong_ time. But still, a swipe of those claws wasn't appealing in the least. It was important to stay on his feet. 

Behind him Michelangelo swung madly with a pot to ward off anyone that got too close to Donatello. And several yards off he could see Leonardo as well. He had started a fire with one of the torches, and used it as a passing lane almost. Splinter had taught them how to run through fire, a skill Leonardo now used to traverse unmaimed amung others. Occasionally the fire would burst upwards, and he would disapear in it. Then with a flash of steel he would emmerge and attack for as long as he could hold himself before disapearing again into the fire. The dragons themselves hardly came near it. Hovering about like cats waiting to pounce. They were prime for Leonardos swords. 

It occurred to him that these things didn't have well developed deduction skills. Or short term memories for that matter if they kept coming back so close. These things had never been out of sparring sessions before. And they had _never_ come against the likes of ninja. Fire either. They hopped and fluttered away whenever a bit burst toward them, or they got too hot for their own comfort. 

"Raph, more fire!" Don called. No answer responded. "Raph!" Column burst of flame shot from the walls, criss crossing through the hall. He had the sense enough to duck, and cover Mike with his immediately. _Don... Don help! We're stuck!_ Was that Lita? Where the hell was she anyway? He looked back up after the fire was gone. The dragons' forces had been about halved in size. Those remaining were still on their feet, their skin blackened. Moist flakes of scale peeled but stuck on, red blood seeping out and sticking it back to the skin. Raphael looked impressed with himself, his eyes turning a darker shade of brown. Don stood back up and pushed a body away. The dragons jump right back into battle. They most definitely didn't have a short term memory. _Don!! Where are you!_ I'm here, we're fighting, what the hell are you doing? We need you right now! _Me and Erika are stuck! Use the crystal and help us out!_ Aw jeez. Donatello missed a passing blow, and struck back with a bo jab to the side. He jumped and spun himself with both feet out, hitting a sticky jaw with the side of his foot. He finished with the bo on the downward half of the spin, chopping somewhere between the neck and collar bone. _Don!... Hello!_ Don took a step back with one foot to gain more balance. A dragon advancing on Mike slowed for a time. Where are you two? _The other side of town. It doesn't matter, just use the crystal!_ How? The dragon continued to advance, although it thought Don wasn't seeing it. Mike tugging on his leg fortunately didn't give him away. When it was close enough he jabbed backwards with the bo like a pool stick, and got a clean hit in the gut. "That's close enough." _Just concentrate, you can feel where we are if you try._ Alright, hold on a sec. His fist connected with a taught throat, followed by his bo lifting it subject up by the crotch and onto its wings with a thud and cracking of fragile bones, pushing the rest of the cads back a few feet. Donatello hastily drew the crystal out of his belt and gripped it tightly like he'd seen Raphael done. Ok... Where are you.... He waited for an answer, one eye open. Nothing came to him and his brow furrowed in disappointment. _This isn't a computer, you can't just tell it what to do, you know._ I knew that. 

A light breeze by his side was all the warning he recieved before claws struck out. Donatello did his best to bat them away with his staff, falling the other way as he did so. A dash of metal down the front was the end of the threat, falling itself to two pieces nearly as the sword pulled out. Nice timing. "_Cover me!_" Don called to Leonardo, swatting away another encroaching dragon. 

Alright.... Where.... Donatello closed his eyes, trying to push the battle out of his mind. The sounds of sweaty jousting flesh receded to the crevices of his mind for a time, threatening to return at a noise that came too close for his ease. Feel you... _You can feel everyone here if you like... _ Everyone... _Come on! Try!_ I am, alright! ...There, there's Mike... And Leo's to my right..... What the hell is that? _It's Raphael. You're sensing the fire. That's him._ If I sense fire, can't I sense water? .... _Try._ .... There! There it is! The water! _....No, I feel it too. That's not me._ Hmmn..... Donatello considered how long he had been ruminating in his thoughts, and began to fade his consciencess back. _No wait! You're close!_ Lita.... shit, alright.... Looking.... jeez.... 

There! _Good!_ I can... feel you. Erika's there too. And... _We're stuck_ Yeah. You're almost out though. _Could you give us a hand?_ Oh, yeah. Donatello twisted the crystal in his hand, using it like a mouse. He felt stone bulging out uncomfortably to hold the intruders. It was not happy at all, and wished very much to release the holdings. He could help with that. 

Atoms began to shift on his wish, and he pushed them out of the way. Hard sediment turned almost liquid as it flowed back behind Erika and Lita, closing out behind them, and opening the stone up ahead. He could feel Litas cool hands on his chest as she crawled out, cool and soothing. Erika followed her, her own hands and knees stricking discord in his gut. He felt the compressed particles erode at her mere touch, and blow away from their sisters. 

The movement sped up and the girls shuffled out. Donatello let the stone settle itself back into place, and shared in its sigh of relief. His shoulders slumped and an oddly satisfied sentiment traveled through his recently shaken system. Litas cool hand patted his shell. _Thanks Don. Good work....._ Hmmm.... he checked his plastron, touching his finger to the sore handprints left. Erikas he could tell, for Litas now dripped off the tail end of his shell. His hand rested over them and a perplexed expression came over his face. What _had_ he just done? Well... as long as he was still dabbling in the Earths occult. Or whatever planets occult this was. Heh. 

Beneath the hard slab floor of the hall, far beneath, where old soil that had been tilled long ago lay in decomposition, plant seeds fidgeted in their pods. Tiny sprouts peeked out to the nutrients that grew around them. Bursting forth they tunneled forward, and upward, causing the moist soil about them to rumble and let them pass. Stone slabs were pierced and crumbled, bubbling upwards to dust with the thick vines. 

_Three....no, four carbons. Move to higher energy level. Yes. Hybrid orbitals.... triple bonds.... fill in the rest of the orbitals with hydrogen. Yes.... Butyne. _Giant writhing plants slowed themselves, hardy blossoms opening. Thick purple veins beneath the skin pumped pure butyne to pools which bubbled up within the petals. Dozens of eyes looked upon each of the twenty or so flowers in awe. The nectar was begining to evaporate already though. 

"Raph!" Don called. A barage of fire balls answered him in no particular direction. Many hit the vines or the underside of the blooms, threatening to close them back up by their sheer force, or topple the entire things over. Don concentrated on keeping his creations steady while his brothers haphazard attempts at inseminating the liquid blasted onward. _Does that idiot have any control at all?_

Soon the pools were hit, and burst out in firey shock waves. Explosive eruptions rocked the ground. Fire consumed the oxygen for only brief seconds before its energy was expended. In a final eardrum shattering blast the hall was cleared. The butyne had burned so cleanly it left no smoke or lingering scent. A few ashes fell the the ground. 

Nothing was left from the fire. The dragons had all been incinerated. Along with the finish on the walls and floor, the plants, and anything else left out. Their supplies, food, and blankets being amung them. The only things that had made it through without a burn were Donatello, Raphael, Leonardo, and Michelangelo. Their shouldered slowly slumped, and weapons dropped to rest as no new thing came to attack. Ashes of their enemy rested at their feet, now useless and trivial as Leonardo brushed them away with the side of his foot. 

The urge for another well deserved rest was pressed against the startling lack of oxygen in the room. Through wheezing breaths directions were given for Mikes stretcher to be lifted, and make an escape to more air. 

"This way." Raphael cut it, motioning with his head to a door off the side of the hall. Leonardo went to protest, wishing to find Lita and Erika, but there was no time to object. He followed after his brothers and went ahead to even take point. He'd never let them know how much he wanted to see Lita well. Lita and Erika. They would regroup later. Now he had his brothers to look after. 

Deep into the cities underworld light hid from passing through wherever it could. Walls had been torn down, revealing the soil and rock behind that now tumbled down over the floor. Panels from the floor were nearly all broken or gone all together. Stained porcelien pieces lay strewn about the ground, turning to lilypads out of the unstable looking pot holes they rested around. 

Carrying a single torch, care of Raphael, the young girls made their way through the labernyth, following a ghost trail. Long ago their feet became sore. Long ago their conversation stopped. Long ago they forgot about the phantoms chasing them. Many times Erikas knees fell from under her and she was dragged until her feet began again. Now there was only one thing that consumed their steps. Reuniting. With the only people they had left. 

"Oh Lita...._look_." Erika grabbed Litas shoulder and pointed head. "_Look!_" A full shaft of light broke through to the ground. A full beautiful light. Large enough to be from a hole the size of a small table top. Erika ran ahead to stand beneath it. "I can see the moons! Come! See how bright they are!" Lita smirked and came forward, standing beside her. They looked up at the pink and blue moons, basking in their light. "Oh, lets get out of here!" Erika clapped. 

"You go. We'll meet up faster if one of us is up and the other down here." Lita watched the torch flame swing around with her arm. "Then we can tell them where the other is so we catch up with one another." She had been thinking ahead. 

"But I thought...." 

"No. Trust me, it's better this way. They might be doing the same thing too." Lita checked back to her. "Be careful up there though. It should be clear if their looking for us on the other side of town. But try not to use magic. I don't know what sensors are up there." 

"...Shouldn't we stay together?" She asked hopefully. Lita looked at her for a time in thought. She rested her hand on her shoulder and gave a reasuring smile. 

"You'll be fine. You're all grown up and you can take of whatever. Don't be afraid." Erika frowned. "Noriko wasn't." _God, Noriko._ "I bet she's watching down on both of us with Maddie." _Oh Maddie_ "And looking out for us." 

"Oh Lita." Erika grasped her in a big bear hug. 

"Oof." Her hand patted her back. "Yes, alright. It's ok." Erika released her and gave a smile. "I'll see you soon, alright? Then we'll get your brother and get outa here. Right?" 

"Right. See ya soon!" Erika smiled and flew up, her skirts fluttering around her. Long near white in the moonlight hair hovered around her as she took one last look down below. A bright smile and gentle wave saluted her way off before slipping away into the blackness. 

Lita crossed her arms around her from the sudden bite of cold in the air. Her hair shivered in the breeze. At a sudden impulse she hurried off, clutching the dying torch. 


	24. chapter 24

Untitled Document How long had it been. Long... too long. Fifty-seven hours.... thirty....five minutes. And how long had this night been going on now? It seemed to drag by, each minute like a drop of sap creeping down the side of a shed. Here he sat, restless as the sap, unyielding as the shed. All the while wishing for dawn. Resuming the march, a change of scenery, an unexpected attack. Anything that would give him some action. Now he was all alone with his thoughts. He hated it. Yet part of him jump at it. 

Leonardo tucked Erikas forgotten wrist watch back in the bag with an agitated snarl. There were still many hours until dawn. Against the wall he sat holding watch over his brothers, timing their subdued breaths against each other. For all it was worth- Mike was sleeping well. The first night on the stretcher he hardly got a wink of rest. All night complaining and prodding him for details about why he had to stay on the stretcher. Why he hurt so bad. Why there was blood in his urine. It hurt to watch as he began explaining things to himself, about how he was extra sore from not warming up before the fight, how still being able to go to the bathroom was a good sign. He was begining to buy into it himself. A nice cushion of lies to keep them all from admitting what they all suspected. 

Then Mike stopped going to the bathroom all together. He slept harder and longer at night from talking about it all day. Don told him to save his energy. It was very quiet from then on. 

This night was even quieter. Disquieting even. Any minute now he expected Lita to come stumbling in the door, frantic to catch her breath. Or be escorted in by a pair of officers. Maybe she would come in wet and weary. Rest beside him with her head settled upon his shoulder, too fatigued to quarrel, and fall into a deep sleep in his arm. 

A stirring drew his eyes away from the door, back across the room where his brothers slept. Raphs scars were bleeding again. They needed to be treated. 

Leo collected up the sagging bag and crawled over to him, winding around stacks of firewood. The medical supplies were almost totally depleted, save for some wraps that had been rinsed and rerolled. The water bottles were filled constantly and served as a the only topical rinse, if not the only sustenance they had left. There was no food left for them. Their stomachs, accustomed to being mostly satisfied lately, grumbled and turned in protest. Sleep was the only escape, if you could find it. 

He knelt beside Raphael and patted the side of his neck to rouse him. A discouraging sneer responded and his hand was shyed away from. The bleeding continued, seeping out of the once adamant scabs, now crawling their way toward the floor. Leonardo wiped the rebel stream of blood from his brothers beak before it reached. 

With a startling subtlely Raphael eyes opened even before he had taken his hand away. The enveloping blackness searched and strained in the dark, vaguely aware of familiar company. Still, Leonardo ceased to move, mindful his motions might alert him. Soon it seemed they found each others eyes and formed a silent agreement not to kill each other. Leo turned into the bag and fished out a clean cloth. 

"I already went." Raphael mumbled, sitting upright to wake. 

"I know." Spots of red began running down into his lips, onto his waiting tongue. Raph smacked his lips at the tangy taste and absently wiped it away. "Don't pick at them." Leonardo mumbled, gathering the wrap into a neat bundle. He could see his brother laying his finger over one of the scabs, careful not to remove it. One of eight, it came down from the side of his forehead, over, and resting upon the tip of his beak. Cut by thin razor like claws they had seemed not to have been noticed until remarked upon long after the battle was over. Trying several times to bandage them it was discovered that one could not wrap bandages around such a round head without a fair heaping of tape, and cutting off sight, sound, taste, and breath. Almost like wrapping an old basketball. 

Now let alone Leonardo began blotting them off with the cloth. Raphael watched what he could of his face as he was mopped up. The dry flakes on his beak were trying to hang onto the worn fabric of the cloth, and pulled at his skin. 

"What time sit." Raph managed beneath the muffling of the cloth. 

"Oh, about twenty to two. Four hours dawn." A quiet grunt came from beneath. He wiped a straying stream of blood from the side of his face and pressed the cloth against his beak. Some quiet moment passed there in the dark, the musty dirt settling back down. The monotonous clicking of the watch was a constant reminder of all the time they had to go, maybe how little they had left. 

"I'll take it." Raph watched his brothers eyes with mild interest. His eyeridge sunk down, then relaxed again. The side of his mouth quirked once and he ran his tongue over the front of his teeth. 

"I got it. Thanks." He mumbled, patting the cloth again. 

"When r'you going to sleep." It was true he had only barely caught the six hours rest in more than two days. He was first to volunteer for watch every night, and first to take point in the morning. Even for his own 'over-do-it-till-your-about-to-drop' attitude, it appeared he was going slowly overboard. At least to Raphael. 

"I'll sleep when we get home." He checked the scabs and swiped away a drying smear across the skin. A water bottle was rifled from the bag, Leonardo settled bag on his shins to rinse the cloth in silence. 

"_Will ya,_" Raphael blurted out. His face contorted itself to a mildly distasted front as he turned away. The water in the bottle slowed and slowed. Eventually to a stop. Raphael pressed his tounge against the edge of his teeth, _hard_, and turned back. "Will you just... talk about it, already." Leonardos blank eyes bore into him. The subject was making them both stand-offish. Hopefully for different reasons. 

"Talk about what." Leo continued to douse the cloth. Without watching water began diving off the saturated corner, raising the dust up from the floor tile. Raphaels burly arms crossed over his bare chest and he looked off, pressing his ragged nails into his sides. The cuticles began turning white and he let out a huff of breath. 

"You know.... what you been ...all bothered about." Leonardo set the bottle upright and focused upon it. The rag, still soaked, went about drawing up the spilt water. 

"Noth-" 

"Don't fuckin' say 'nothing', ass. We all know you're actin' fucked up." Raph nearly glared at him out of the corner of his eye, arms tightening. His older brother eventually looked up at him. The usual calm countenance was misplaced. Now his face expressed a sort of quiet loss. His eyes at last reflected something more down to Earth than the modest cockiness of his boyhood. Something that was a softer side of manhood, which startled Raphael. His shoulders involuntarily spasmed on the sensation of some terrible excitement. Leo's eyes drifted away, resting their gaze on his still sleeping brothers. Raphael slowly lowered his arms and turned partly to face him. He pulled his leg up under him and waited for what an entertaining bit this promised to be. 

"I had a fight with Lita." The words crumpled his hopes for something interesting. Raphael swallowed the urge to roll his eyes and let his mouth do the talking for once in his life. 

"So..." The top of the water bottle was twisted on again absently. 

"This time it was serious." The bottle top was twisted on almost to splitting and began to crack. "I... I was just venting." 

"The way I see it, you 'vent' on her all the time." Leonardo set the bottle down, resting his hands around its neck. 

"No. Not like that." Raphael couldn't see, but he guess Leo had closed his eyes to relive this. A displeased sigh passed from him. "God, I was such a jerk. I just...." The voice trailed off. Raph waited for it to continue before giving him a reluctant prompt. 

"You just...." He mumbled. 

"I couldn't see how far I was taking it. So fucking pissed about.... about this place. About Splinter.... about Maddie. Noriko." 

"Mmn." Raphael added under his breath. 

"I don't know why her. But I just broke when I got alone with her. 'N she snapped. And we fought." Donatello murmered and turned over. His voice softened and steadied itself. "She ran off. Crying." 

"...yeah?" 

"But she didn't.... I was... Shit Raph, I hurt her this time." His hands tightened around the bottle neck. "I knew what I was doing." 

"_why_" Donatello mumbled and turned again. Leonardo paid no heed. 

"I dunno. I just... couldn't...." The words were strained and painful to both their ears. Another drop of liquid fell into the puddle around the bottle. How long had he been thinking about this? Why was it so dificult to put it into words. Even if it _was_ Raph. He was waiting here, patiently listening. And all he could do was bumble on about a fight he had lived hundreds of times before. But damn it, he needed to say it. To someone. He needed someone's ear for once. At any other time Raphael would be the one, but today. The week. Their fight. Raphaels growing insanity. He needed someone that could understand his own brand of pain. The pain of losing something so.... the pain of losing. Losing by one's hand. He knew of only one whom he could speak with. One he wished to speak with. One he wished who's hand would comfort his cheek, and mouth would utter empathetic murmers. "_Oh god, Lita_." And here he was with his brothers half opened ear, and a wound to be tended to. Right now just loving his brother wasn't enough. Something important was missing. Something he had been rangling with for several passed nights. And it wasn't here. 

"Jeez... get a grip Leo." His shoulder was given a shake. He looked out from the palms of his hands and straightened his shoulders. He tried giving a cool confident gilding to his eyes, but failed. Raphael took his hand back and remained watching him for some time. Neither knew quite what to say. The watch kept ticking on. The sleeted rain continued to pound and hammer against the roof. Trying to get in. "Go..." 

"Huh?" Raphael huffed a sigh, crossing his arms over again. 

"Go find her. Idiot." It was so simple. 'Find her'. Those words he had wrestled with since she ran away. Could he? Yes. But no, his brothers. How could he leave them? That was answered for him as well. "I'll watch things." Maybe Raph didn't understand completely, but he very well knew his roles in the family. Bless his seared soul. 

"Keep moving around onto the palace." He couldn't believe he was saying this. Leonardo gathered himself back to his feet, stowing the water bottle back in the bag. "Stay low, and take it slow." 

"Fuck, I know what I'm doing." Raphael muttered. 

"Watch the windows... and thanks." Their eyes locked. Raphael squinted in the darkness and held out a hand. 

"Watter friends for." Leonardo didn't hesitate to grab it with his own. 

"Family." He let the bag down beside Raphael. After a moment he was jerked into a vice like bear hug. Two punch like pats on the shell and he was pushed away. He was confused whether the hug was just an excuse to punch him or not. 

"Now get the hell out." Raphael laid back down to relax while he took guard. He wasn't positive he'd ever see his brother again. That was what the hug was for. Leonardo stood up straight and regarded him for a moment. Raph wouldn't look back. 

Donatello blinked his beady eyes at Leonardo, standing so tall above him. He had happened to catch the last end of their conversation. It appeared Leonardo was leaving them. For an undisclosed amount of time. And he was the only one that knew how to run things good and smooth here. This couldn't be good. But be couldn't let himself come between his brother and his needs. Not this one. Now Leonardo looked down at him, noticing at last they had woken him. He needed some encouragement perhaps? 

"Well, get going. What are you wasting time here for?" He backed away toward the door, grabbing a waterproof sheet from the woodstack. 

"I'll meet up with you later, till them, follow Raph. Take care'a Mikey for me." The sheet cloaked him like a great bed sheet and he disapeared out the door of the woodshed. In an instant he was swallowed up by the torrenting weather and left them. Three of them. Alone. With _Raph_. Donatello tried to pass his shudder off as the cold, but he didn't think he was believed. Raphael glared at him and he sunk back under the plastic sheet. Mike gurgled and bumped against the logs keeping him straight. And so the quiet returned. And the night continued. 

So how long has it been. Awhile. At least three nights. Or four? Each feels like an eternity. When it's raining. These kinds of rains were so nice. Lita reached her hand out to feel the sleet against her fingertips. She had no desire to become any more wet tonight though. Her arm returned around her. Even colder when you're alone. 

When had she felt this way before? It was a very distant memory that was returning. But was it really _that_ distant? Now it was coming to her. It was.... the begining of this summer. When she was still living with Sandy. And even before that. How long? Since.... before she could remember. Being alone. That was the returning sentiment, was it not? It was trickling back inside of her and it hurt. Her heart was learning to ache again, now even stronger than before. What had changed that all before. What had made her forget it? 

Lita leaned her head back against the wall and looked out onto the flooding street. Was it her friends, sure it was. Was it Splinter, Mr. Tagahasi, Uncle Joey, sure it was. But there was something more she knew. 

The past, just as much as the present. What was in waiting in the future. They had all lived in a web of the three of these since they met. It had drawn them close. Almost inseperable. Maybe that was the problem. Maybe in all the fantastical and celestial lights they had just grabbed onto each other to survive. Maybe none of them would be friends under any other condition. 

It was difficult to swallow for many reasons, but were her new friends just alliances of convienence? If they weren't special. Would they know each other still? Would she still have her companions? Lita bit her lip, wiping her cheek with the side of her arm. 

She was only certain of one. It surprised her. But something rather distant inside her wasn't surprised at all. What had made her forget her loneliness. The one person she knew wouldn't change with or without the past. Who would be there with or without good times even. The one who had stood by her all summer. Even when she was too frustrated to learn. Even when she called him names and was as brash as she could be. Dispite what he said, he never left. He never left _her_. It was an event she never experienced in her life. 

How she wished now she had been nicer. Could have studied harder. Could have learned faster. She could have smiled or laughed at his stupid jokes. Could have talked to him like a real person more. But it was too late. 

Now she needed him. Wanted him. Not just for strength or swords. She just... needed _him_. 

But it didn't matter now. It was time to give up. It was over. It would be soon. After she broke off with Erika the heat of the moment died. She was alone again, in a place dirtier and danker than the worst of the sewers. It was cold and scary alone. Then she lost whatever state it was that connected her with Donny, Raph, and Erika. Her mind became clouded. All she thought of was her fight. Leonardos words. They became a dull pain in her heart, and she lost her way. 

It took her sometime before she found a way out. Long after the time she lost her orientation. Above ground she wandered the streets aimlessly, hiding in shadows when dragons passed. Nights were sleepless and long. Usually very wet. Tonight she had found refuge beneath a square meter of roofing used to protect drying bricks. Though they had become cool and damp over the past few nights. Wiping the moist dirt off her face she found she was crying. She had been doing that alot lately. 

_Alright. It's time to give up. You're lost. You're tired. You're hungry. And there's no way you'll ever get home. Your best friend's dead. As far as you know so is everyone else... So let's get it over with._ Lita looked at the water that now sloshed over the edge of the road, nearing her feet. There were the beginings of rapids down in the valley she passed earlier. She could jump in. The current would bash her into some buildings. Maybe a statue. Then her body could settle in some street. She could sleep at last. 

_Well... why aren't you going? ....No time like the present._ Lita couldn't even touch the brick stack to pull herself to her feet. Her arms just wouldn't respond. They knew more than she did. _Stupid hope. Stupid no good rotten hoping. You know it doesn't do any good too!_ She crawled out, into the street. The water was already up to her ankles. She had to grab onto the roof to keep from being swept away before she could get used to it. Fierce rain caught in the wind stung her face and bare arms. Bits of dirt caught as well made each sting sear and itch. 

Lita hung onto the roof and turned away from the winds, shifting her feet about experimentally under the water. She clutched the tiles and closed her eyes, begining to whimper. Tears began dropping into the water, floating above like diamond drops of oil. The rain and wind pounded against her back like slash after slash of whips. The street began spinning. It felt like she was about to pass out. 

_You must be alive. I know it. I can feel it. I'm going to find you now. Because.... I don't care if you're a turtle. I don't care._ Lita took a step forward and was nearly knocked over. She took a second to right herself again before trying. Her next step she let go of the roof and made a skip into the water. She began running, never letting her feet stay in current too long. 

The streets were dark as death. Without the light it appeared as if the roads were completely liquid, and roared around Lita, trying to draw her in. Her feet were too fast, and she ran passed. The feeling of nasuea left, soon all she could feel was a heartbeat. It was all she heard, she ran toward it. Torrenting rain pounded her back, but she kept running. It felt like she was faster than the current, faster than the street.   
The feeling grew stonger. Had it always been there? It felt so very familiar. It drew her closer. Her shoes were swept off in the current. Bare feet took longer to run in through the deepening waters. But she kept going, if not stronger than before. Again she had lost her orientation, all direction. It was as if she hadn't planned on using it at all though. Something else lead her on. Something sturdy. 

Around a corner she nearly fell, tripping on a fallen brick. Her hands caught her, kept her from being swept away. Something made her head snap up to see. 

There ran Leonardo, far away, crossing the street, cloaked in a dark sheet. She didn't know how she picked him out of the darkness, she did know he was about to disapear down another street any second. Her voice caught in her throat and she squeaked. It took some time to swallow it down, he was almost gone. 

She called out, waving a free arm. The rains were so thick, she knew he couldn't hear her. She could hardly see him now. Almost gone.... 

Something made him turn his head. Like he was slapped. And he thought he heard the word 'moron' whispered in the wind. It left as soon as he opened his eyes again. Down by the end of the road was Lita. At last. 

Leonardo stopped in his tracks and looked at her. Down on her knees, completely soaked. Hair stuck to her face. Clothes drench and ripped.   
He could see those mocha brown eyes looking into his, even from afar. He saw the way her lip quivered in the cold, dark and pouted. How the tear made its way down from the apple of her cheek toward the bottom of her chin. God she was beautiful. 

He held his hand out to her, thinking he could somehow help her up from so far away. She climbed to her feet and began running, slapped from the side with sharp rain. He found his feet moving, slowly at first. Frozen from cold. They continued, going faster and faster. The sheet was released and flew away, flapping like crazy. 

Shadows of buildings couldn't hid her completely from him, just as long as he kept his eyes on just her. He wouldn't lose her again out here. 

_ Please, just let me get close to her.....  
Please, just let me touch her....  
Please.... please just let me hold her. I swear, just let me hold her. Because if she disapears- if I run right though her.... I'll die right here. Please...._ When he left he hardly knew what he would do when he found her. As he got closer now there was nothing he questioned. He wondered about nothing. 

They fell into each other in a swift movement. He closed his eyes and savored the feeling of her arms drawing around his neck. Pressing her close, his hands spread out against the arch of her back. She squeezed him so tightly it felt like she might suffocate him. It didn't matter though. He could die here, happy. A smile grew over his face, set against the side of her hair. She smelled heavenly. 

He listened to the quickened whimpers of breath buried in the side of his neck. The heartbeat against his plastron. How her fingers curled around his bandana tails and pressed them against the back of his neck. Her cheek was cool against his hot skin. Eyelashes tickled his neck. 

They both pulled back, touched nose to beak. He found his hand running through her hair. Her eyes were dark as shadows, he found a glimmer in them though. A relieved sort of smile filled her face. Daylight was breaking through the clouds above them. He wiped aside a lonely tear with his thumb and smiled for her. 

"It's alright now." He felt her hand stroke the back of his head. Her breath warmed the hollow of his throat, sending delicious swirls to his core. 

"I know." He drew her close again, holding the back of her neck. _It's taken me this long to find you.... I'm never letting go._ He rested his beak down against the side of her hair. 


	25. chapter 25

Untitled Document Rumpling of the nylon-like blanket taken from the wood shed disrupted the metallic pounds of the rain against it. Donatello turned his head over his shoulder to look down at the sheet. It still unnerved him how it resembled a stretcher for the dead. A thick green finger pulled the hem of the blanket down to let two restless and bloodshot eyes peek out. Mike looked all about as quick as he could. There wasn't much to see through the dark grey of the rain. Don sighed and gave his bars a quick tug as he pulled them along. 

"Ack!" A voice of protest was muffled out. 

"Will you quite doing that." He hissed back. Mike pulled the blanket up farther, not completely, keeping his eyes trained on Donatello. 

"It's too hot in here." Don seethed to himself. He didn't have time to coddle little Mike right now. Raph had woken them up early to go, and made him the one to pull the stretcher while he walked ahead. So extra tired he had to pull more than 200 pounds around in wild rains in the dark and play nursemaid for Mike. First it was the loss of Leo that set him off, so they covered him in the blanket before they set off. That way he wouldn't catch cold. And wouldn't bother them with insessent talk. It didn't stop him. Then it was the flooding waters. How they splashed his feet sometimes. Now he couldn't stop fiddling with the blanket. A dozen times already he had had to repremand him. 

"If you want to get sick Mike, fine." Mike wiped the water off his head but didn't pull the blanket back. Raphaels fiery glow was disapearing ahead of them. Talking was slowing them down. He went back to pull the blanket up himself. 

"Hey look!" Mike grabbed his hand before he could, looking skyward. The clouds above were starting to disperse. Don took his hand back and watched sunlight break through. Raphael returned to them, making a comment about daylight. The rain was thinning out, Raphs orange aura died out with it. The darkness was begining to fade. Mike gave the blanket a weak shake and folded it over his stomach. "Storms _over._" He announced, as if he had won something. 

"Looks like." Raph watched the clouds as they peeled back. The red-orange light of dawn touched everything as they did, turning the city the color of pale oranges. Water in the street looked soft and playful with glimmering spots of carmine. Don stuck his foot out in the cold of the water to see color run over his toes. 

"Coooool." Mike reached his hand up from the shadows to see it turn strange shades of olive, orange reflecting off his nails. He bent his fingers too see the changing shade. 

"Dawns breaking." Raphael crossed his arms. Don turned to look at him, shifting his shoulders to keep a cramp out of his back. His stomach was feeling a little queasy. 

"What's wrong." He asked. Mike smiled and closed his eyes, laying back to soak in some rays. Raph shrugged. 

"I don't know. Something." All of a sudden they each lurched, as if an anvil had exploded somewhere inside them. Don watched in horror as the city filtered to black. Turned to negatives, solarized. His eyes strained to keep up, giving him a headache. It seemed as if everything was in focus. Tunnel vision was kicking in. It made the sides of his head ache. 

Things began to wobble like shaken sheet metal. Noises howled in his ears and bombarded his eyes as if he could see them. He shut his eyes tight and shook the noise from his head. He couldn't let go of Mike, and that's all he knew. Raph grabbed his shoulders. He could feel the fire smoldering him. It added to the confusion and made him lose his senses for a time. 

It was a crucial time at that. When the disorienting howls and shaking knees receded enough for them to open their eyes they found dry floors. White gilded colums of fine stone. A silver trimmed white carpet walkway, thin as paper, rich as silk... 

Mike moaned as his head stopped spinning. His stomach was still swimming, and didn't bode well with the rest of him. He attempted a whistled to express himself, but didn't finish. He dropped his head on the cot, making Don fidget to keep balance. 

"What is this place." Raphael asked his somber driness, his hand releasing Dons shoulder. They surveyed the room together, uncertain whether to even move or not. Mike turned his head side to side to see what he could as well. "Sensei...." Don heard whispered. He jerked his head over in the direction of Raphaels in anticipation. 

Master Splinter, dressed in full robe, sat upon a gigantic throne up at the front of the room. Seated beside him was Jimmy, looking rather nauseated himself. Their faces were tired and sallow in the light. Splinter was silent with acceptance as he looked down at his children. His deep ruddy brown fur was thin and had been brushed in such a way to make it look thicker. The fine white robe he wore hung down over his claws, bulging out over his feet and hands. A golden bronze crown sat on the arm of the chair. 

Their eyes lite with satisfaction and relief, Mike called his name and tried to roll to his feet. Dons hand pushed his shoulder back down. The sai were drawn. Mike struggled to hear, turned the wrong way he couldn't see much of anything. Crisp clacks of hard soled shoes made a well excecuted descent from the thrones steep staircase. It took almost 30 seconds for them to completely the march to the ground level, snapping together at the heels. The breathing was timed, and had never varied for procession down the steps. 

The wobbling began again. It had focused itself away from them, making a smaller space contort and burst with currents. It shrunk and expanded several times before steadying itself. Black volts pulsed around the space, sparking inside like hot oil. Six pairs of eyes watched. With a descisive howl the currents shrunk into the white space, taking a form on the floor. 

Before the globes were finished disipating Erika was rubbing the back of her neck. She had snapped it when she hit the ground. There was no sound as she looked around. As her eyes followed the carpet lead up to her brother, Splinter, down to Nikira where she shrunk back, and over to the turtles. She sat up on her knees and pressed her fingers against her chest, looking at them with an almost curiousness in her eyes. Mike let go his breath and rested his head on the bar of the stretched to keep an eye on her. 

With a twist of the wrist it began all over again. Water coursed over the dark volts and splattered over the ground. It fought against the spacial transfer for a long time as it was brought through, leaving a spreading puddle on the floor. There was an interested arch in Splinters eyebrow as his oldest son came through with young lady Lita wrapped tightly in his arms. She peeked out over his shoulder and looked up at him. He turned around as she whispered to him, his arms sliding around her waist, keeping her close against him. They looked up to him, sitting on his ill sized throne. He wondered if they caught the tears trapped in his fur. His sons had come. He thought he caught a bow of the head by Lita. _So little one, discovering your roots are you._

"Here at last." Nikira let his voice boom. He had awaited this day for 65 million and 16 years. Anticipating since the day they let that knocked up ancient-wannabe run away with her cohorts. Even if Tatakai wasn't here, the anniversary was still as sweet as ever. "You just don't know how _long_ I've been waiting." He hissed, taking steps toward them. The blue turtle pushed the elemental behind him and drew a sword. He wanted to defend her. How sweet. That must be the infamous Leonardo of Perothe. This could be amusing. _Wait, not yet._ He stopped in his tracks. There was more pressing business at hand. But first. "Drop your weapon, child." His lip curled itself into a sneer. Leonardo only turned it to the side. That malevolent glint was in his eye, just as the first time he had bared his swords to him. _Oh, the repugnance._ In the corner he saw other weapons being drawn. They didn't concern him now. He would bring some knights in to fight them later anyway. 

Raising his hand forward to demostrate his own power, he touched each finger in to the palm of his hand. Each nail pressed against skin and gave a small pulse. The blade began tarnishing black. Dark fire was burning it's way out, though no one could see it besides him. The thing was only steel. There wasn't even any magic stone affixed to it. _Pitiful as a donkeys ass._ The metal disapated into the air, leaving a lose hilt in the tight hand. It lowered just so. 

In the air dark flame spirits hovered after devoring the metal. It occured to him to send them into the Advisor. Inhabit his soul. It was a wonderful idea to play with this unfit mortal. A quirk played in the corner of his eyes. 

The swish of a light breeze carried the spirits away, dispersing harmlessly in the upper rafters of the throne room. But no one appeared to have noticed. Nikira cocked his head to send a nasty look the way of the windy girl. Had she any strength of character, in his opinion, she might've actually glared at him. Instead she looked quite blank, and a little scared without another person to validate her efforts. It didn't matter though. She didn't matter. 

"Your young highness, please come stand with me." He let his words bite, and looked intensely at the sister girl. He hoped her imagination ran wild with her. Maybe rile her up. He would not see _this_ morning pass without a worthy battle. "Stand _now_." 

Shuffling footsteps began. The prince was on his way down. All eyes were on _him_ now. These people were naive enough to let him continue his play, expecting him to make some opening remark to begin combat. Their honor got in the way of practicality. It would cost them at least one life. 

Prince Idola reached his side after some time of clomping along on his injured leg. He was looking up at him with frightened and scornful eyes. Unkempt locks of dirt colored hair hung in his face dispite grooming. It was laughable now to consider these two were once confused for brothers. _Brothers indeed._ His crown had fallen to the side on his small head. This was only a pauper. What a wreck the rulers of Delphus had fallen to. A pauper heir. A king rat. Protection of the greater universe was left to turtles and school girls. This must be some sort of punishment. 

Nikira drew the Prince Sword with the flick of his wrist, snapping it smartly against the side of Idolas head. He saw how they all jumped, ready to bit his head off. They had not lost everything, had they. He closed his eyes with a smirk and lifted the rim of the crown with the blade. It settled comfortably on his head. Quickened pulse traveled through it and up his sword, into his hand. He let his breath out slow through his nose. His sword gripped hand moved over to sit on the back of the hot neck. He looked between each of those who faced him now. They had frozen again. Waiting were they not, in dreadful anticipation for just a signal to begin. It was honor. And honor was for fools. Maybe Tatakai was a fool. If it was not for him, this would have been finished long ago. He never forgot. This unpleasantness could have been avoided. 

"Fools!" Lifting his hand up, the weight of the sword dropped down and he aquired a new grip on the hilt. Giving it just enough pressure the blade inserted itself through the vestments, and into the back of Idola. He gave a delicious squeak and twitch. The tip emerged through his chest, with a bold but tight rip of the shirt. 

Simply holding the grip the pierced prince slid off gracefully in descent. Sister girl jumped forward to catch him in his outstretched arms. He was already quiving with shock. Nikira tossed the sword by their side and back up the stairs. The boy was gathered up into her lap, already being staining a deep red of blood. She coddled him and pressed his head to her chest, whispering sweet words in his hair. What _was_ she doing? These mortal emotions eluded him to this day.

"Come no-" The hothead of Raphael of Cannon felt no need for invitations. He lept with a battle cry, daggers positioned at his sides. His outburst sparked a match for his brothers. They each tensed their muscles to prepare for a flying leap as well. This must be dealt with swift action, _before all these idiot ninjas smother me._

  


Raphael cried out as he dropped from flight, jolting the rest of his party to a stop. He clutched his face in his hands, doubled over on his knees. The sai hanging in his hands waivered, caught in the crook of his thumb. 

Leonardo watched helplessly as the sai dropped. Blood began dribbling from between the tensed fingers. It trickled along his hands, making rivulets down. The blots landing on silk turned bright red and froze in their tiny circles. 

"Let's be serious here." A deep voice intruded Leonardos vision. His brother incapacitated with pain. All the blood. That bear like _voice_. It was far more than enough for him. He at last let himself flew into white hot rage, unsheathing his second katana. Someone had to take Raph's place. A great roar began building in his throat as he raised the sword. Dropping farther into the new abyss of his mind he ignored the voices warning him to slow. All he could see was his brother hurt, and a tangible afflictor. _If it was tangible, then my sword can cut it. I'll cut it down!_

"_Leonardo, Leo..._" Cool hands on his face. On his shoulder. They were tempering his anger. They stroked him urgently, aware they might not have another chance. "Leo, please..." 

"_Hhnnnnn_!" Taking a great breath his stomach tightened, he let out a releasing whine as his vocal cords slackened. A hand closed over his around the sword and was trying to lower it. He took a moment to gather some senses and look down at Lita. Her big brown eyes softened just so in relief. He found his hand lowering under the weight of hers. Damn her. 

"Please.... you can't fight." She stroked his beak. His blood was still boiling, and she knew it. "Please...." His mouth twitched. It was involuntary. The agitation was getting to him. He was huffing like a race horse. Her hands fell to all the right places, lowering his heart rate. She stroked the palm of his hand and he discovered he had lowered his sword completely. "Not this time." She whispered. Time to panic. 

"No, I can't let you fight him. I won't--" Her hands had already slid from his. She was backing away. She smiled. Oh god. She never did listen. Did she. "_Lita-_" Her back turned to him. 

_Ooooooh.... just stop hurting... please. Oh, Jimmy...._ Erika settled the side of her face in his hair. He rocked back and forth in her arms, limpened hand dragging on the ground. _Little brother of mine...._ Her free hand absently took hold of the bloody blade. _Going places without me again._ She laid him down as softly as she could, cradling his sun baked face. 

The thin blade fit right under the arch of her ribcage as she sat back on her knees. Giving it a timid push it pricked through her skin, inside of her. She gave a squeak with the sharpened pain. A satiated purr rolled inside her. The sword jerked forward and filled her with steel. 

Looking up she saw Lita, looking down at her incredulously. From afar there was Mikey. _Good night guys._ She draped herself over her brother. _I won't let you go again...._

Mikey tried not to cry out. He knew it would be stopped in his throat if he tried. But still. "Nooo!!" The stretcher tilted, he rolled onto the floor. The room was spinning. He was going to hurl. A sharp pain stuck him from inside and he groaned. Don didn't help him up. Nobody did. "Oh god noo..." He sobbed onto the floor. He immediately began wishing to go with his dear, sweeter than sweet Erika. "Ooooooohh." 

"You..... villain!" Was that.... Lita? Mike moaned and pulled his face from his damp hands. "You could not leave good well alone." Her voice was directed at the bad guy, but somehow he felt she was chastising himself as well. 

"Is this what you want? For what, damnit!" Nikira smiled with a subtle roll of his head, the side of his lip perking up. She was casting him down, condeming him. 

"Did you forget. I am the sorceror of destruction." Lita fumed. Something was catching up with her. It grew up from inside her and was filling her body. He had caused this. He hurt the ones she loved. He destroyed her world. _He_ killed her friends. _Killed_ them. Weren't coming back. A new reality burst out inside of her as she hastily snatched the crystal from her pocket. _I won't look away this time._

Foolishly sheathing his sword to watch, Leonardo let his pulse begin to slow. He could see as the stone began bubbling over with light and streamed out. It consumed Lita like a bolt, and for a moment all was submerged in its depths. Leonardo strained to tear his eyes away, for fear it might blind him. He didn't though. 

His hands seemed to soften as his eyes rested on a set of fluffy feathered wings. They ruffled about and tickled his senses. It wasn't until Lita actually turned to face him that he saw they were hers. Long supple hair lingered in the air as rich white wings panned out. They raised up subtley in uptake and turned in to contain light from the translucent orb Lita held against her. She turned her eyes up to him, a smile starting to pull at her mouth. She was that beautiful girl again, eyes bright and energized. In the next instant she was gone. 

Leonardo pulled Raphael to his feet as Lita faced off, and helped him back to his brothers. 

"Leo, she-" 

"I know." The ground was begining to shake as strange protection spells were cast. It was difficult to tell who by. Leonardo wasn't concerned by that yet though. Donatello was as well mesmarized by Lita fantastical transformation. Her hair had stretched out past her waist, and was twisiting up at the ends in repulsion to the ground. Ratty jeans had turned to a crisp white slip dress, and a taught blue necklace clasped her neck. Don absently pulled Mike on his stretcher while he watched her. He nary heard the entry burst open till Raphael called for his attention. 

New soldiers. These came well armored, weathered for battle. Edged glaives hung at their sides, swaying with the healthy gait. Their wings were thick with ropey muscular frames. Chain mail covered the veiny stretched skin between the hollow bones, and swished as the links crumpled against each other. Their plastrons were smithed iron, a weight that would require a great strength to maintain. Neck clasps ran down the small of their backs in chains guarding the protruding spine. 

The four stopped just inside the doors and swung the glaives around beside them. They thudded against the floor. Leonardo whipped his bandana tails out of his eyes and called to his brothers through the winds. Fours pairs of reptilian eyes trained on him. He sensed as Raphael and Donatello appeared beside him. The dragons hesitated. Another moment later Michelangelo floated beside Don, his elbows resting upon his drawn up knees. His face winced briefly. 

The dragons raised their weapons and began to chant. Raphael charged. He was knocked back as he ran into the shield of light, and left a simmering impression of his beak in the shroud. Donatello caught him on his way back, burning the palms of his hands. 

"_Ah Shit-_" 

The glaives jerked in their direction. Balls of black electricity burst out around each of them and shrunk inwards. Almost instantly the crystals began reacting. They burst and shook to fight off the infection. 

Colored lights streamed out from Leonardos brothers, making him turn his head to shield his eyes. The black energy had siphoned right through him, leaving him a little colder. Donatellos helpless eyes pleaded to him through the black and green fireworks. He was confused about his control. Raphael fought to stay afoot as his brothers fell beside him. 

Leonardo leapt with his remaining sword, swiftly beheading one of the staffs in a downswipe. The blade clanked against the tile. He finished his jump through a roll, ducking the other end of the staff which came for the back of his head. Before the dragons turn was completed Leonardo sliced his katana with a backstroke, still perched upon his knees. He felt the blade hit bone resistance as he turned, and sunk his head into his shell momentarily to avoid another downsweep. As the staff passed he looked back out again to see the full edge of the katana lodged in the side of the left ankle, nearly severing the ikeleas heel. Nearly. He decided to finish it through and grabbed the blunt edge of the tip, hastily switching grip on the hilt. With a jerk forward the sword slid through. The dragon hopping back, Leonardo prepared for the other three. He stepped back as he stood and levied his blade. 

Raphael, Donatello, and Michelangelo had began already however, leaving him standing apart. The dragon lifted its wings and took into flight. Leonardo raised his sword to it as it flew overhead. He hadn't it anticipated it flying with the heavy chain mail on its wings. 

The creature dived over head with the broken staff, bringing back his arm to swing down upon Leonardos skull. Without the blade head it appeared he wasn't going to be casting any new spells. The staff end still came down for him though. He dodged to the left. Only here he found his blade was out in the open. With a precise slap he lost the new grip, the katana went skittering away. 

With a sideways glance he saw his brothers, still fighting losing battles. Not losing for them though. Combining their respective powers they supercharged their weapons. Blow by blow they drove the remaining two down, hitting them before they cast another drain spell. They hadn't been expecting this level of magic sophistication from them. 

Leonardo went to dive for his blade, flipping around. The dragon cut him off, blocking him with his body. Holding the staff with both talons he shoved Leonardo back out of mid air, cracking the back of his head against the floors runner. He hastily stumbled to his feet before the full effect of the landing concluded. There was watery blood on the floor, but he couldn't tell who's exactly. 

The dragon made several more runs at Leonardo. Each time he drew closer it was revealed how helpless the turtle was against a flying opponent. Slowly drawing him away from the sword, Leo was forced back anytime he went for it. He fought back frustration as much as the reptile. 

_You'll know what to do.... when the time comes....._ A soothing voice diluted his anger for a time. Splinter. Wherever he was, his words awakened something in him. _Don't be so stubborn..._

Leonardo made another dive into the driving gales of the huge wings, back towards the sword. The staff came down again to block him. This time he grabbed on, clasping the broken bo like a life preserver. The dragon wasn't stubborn either, and let go. Leonardo dropped it also, quickly grasping the fisted talons before they jerked away. The staff clattered against the floor beside the foot. 

"_**Fuck you!**_" Leonardo snarled as he was shaken off. His hands wouldn't let go, empowered with a life of their own. He flailed around for only a moment as the dragon tried vainly to fling him off. Then they both ascended toward the rafters. 

The air became weak above, dark shadows flew by them like ghosts. Leonardo twisted and pulled downwards to keep himself from being bashed into the heavy beams which kept the glassy ceiling from collapsing. The clawed foot reached for him legs to claw him and he timed his movements to avoid their lunges while swaying the beast off course. 

As he pulled and pushed around at the dragons will he found his maneuvers were turning against him as he drew closer to the opposite side of the rafters. He delivered a blunt kick to the dragons knee, temporarily incapacitating it. The arms suddenly spread apart, bringing Leonardo in close. Too close for comfort. The snapping of a weighty jaw opening was all the warning he recieved of the mouth of fangs coming for his throat. His fists strained to pull both arms back together again, allowing him space to pull back again. 

The huge mouth still failed to close even after Leonardo was out of range. He could see right into the red fleshy throat. It smacked of the time Splinter checked them for sore throats. And how he thought of how easy it would be to kill them in that position. How bare they all really were. 

Rocking forward once he caught a fang across the top of his head. The wings were on a back sweep however, and it was pulled away before it cut through the skull. In reward for wounding his already bloody head, Leonardo swung his feet forward. He pushed his body as far away without actually releasing the dragon. His legs swung up from underneath, before it even knew what was coming. 

Striking right at the bone of the chin, it snapped the neck backwards with split second accuracy. A familiar Crack shattered the relative quiet of the rafters, followed by a soft swish of the wings finishing the upstroke. 

Suddenly the weight of the metal and armor came into play. Once defending vulnerable plastrons and thin skin, they plummeted both bodies to the floor below. Mighty wings were subjected to the heft of their bulky load, chain mail which wished ever so much to rest upon the ground. Leonardo, left with no option, clung to the body. Twisting it below him he was sure to keep his wrists and knees from locking, less they shatter with the impact. 

It seemed to happen to soon, as they hit the ground. But with a loud nauseating 'Slap', accompanied by a shooting pain up his right knee, he was sure that they had. The break in his leg forced him to grip the dragons shoulders tighter till the pain subsided to tolerable level. 

He had landed far from his sword still, which he had wished not to do. There was another 20 feet or such to reach it. It would take him ten times as long to reach it now. And he had to get to it. Glimpsing the fight below by air he had fought the urge then to drop and fight beside Lita. He must help her. He must reach that katana. 

Forcing his left leg up to kneel he blew his air out through his teeth. A presence above him queued him to look up. Nikiras sweaty face bore into him, with wide intense eyes. 

Lita knelt down beside the carpet. Hair hung over her eyes and stuck to the heat of her skin. Clasping her arm loosely, water began to trickle freely down the inside of her wrist. Trying to sink back into her skin it would disapear only in splotches. Her concentration was breaking like chipping glass. _Damn it.... focus._ She glanced over her shoulder. The doors had been shut again. Swirling currents warned her that it was locked by a spell. Not to try. She couldn't move this fight outside. Couldn't use any powerful magic without wounding her friends. _Leonardo..... where's Leonardo....?_ He had been there only a moment ago. _No, please no....._

She rolled onto her feet and back around. Nikira was briefly nursing his wounds as well. He looked up at her and his eye twitched. Simmering blood spatters on his clothes smoked faintly over his face. They began dying down, but could not absorb completely as well. He straightened himself up, easing up on his hip. 

"Dear how you've grown." He mused to himself. Lita took a defensive stance, raising her hands up. "Who knows. If you had remained behind before you might just've beaten me." She decided to use this time to charge her powers. He was probably looking to do the same. 

"For what. There was nothing _left_. What good is it to control the universe, if there's no one to share it with… All our people were dead. Yours too." 

"So you let them die in vain. 500 years of battle-" Lita side stepped and drew the prince sword off of the floor as Nikira proceeded closer. 

"Yes… In vain… I'm ready now. You want to finish this, we will." 

"Do so." A spout of water carried the fallen hilt of Leonardos sword to Lita. She plucked it out of the air. It felt heavy in her hand. She could imagine his hand around it. How light and familiar it must feel to him. 

Pressing the two grips together she closed her eyes, blocking distractions. A quiet spirit grew upwards from the tip of her toes. It was cool and soft, and asked her to let all go. It sounded like him. She let her heart go as it filled her, lifting a great weight off her chest. 

At her command it channeled down her hands, growing into the hilts. She pressed them together and they merged. The thin blade glowed like blue lights under water as the heavy hilt enveloped it. Lita tossed her head back and poured all her spirit into it. She felt her hair lift up around her, and the wings return for a brief second. They felt warm. Then they were gone. 

In her hands the Chailyn Sword streamed with light, happy at her touch. Nikira drew his cane and tapped it against his shoe. A burst of flame transformed it into a burning sword, and he levied it to her. The licks of flame reflected in his ever darkening eyes. 

"Come." Her grip changed just slightly and she began running. He extended his arms and ran. The stricken white hair of his jounced behind him, his heart pounded out of his chest. An excited cry emanated far before he reached her. He raised his blade back, a few embers arching off, and they both drew their swords down. 

To slow himself it took some time to finish the run. His legs continued to move even though he didn't wish it. There was a stream of flame that trailed after his sword tip. He stopped near the exact spot the girl had begun by, and clomped to a finish. 

Sir Leonardo landed in front of him, like a falling rock. A mangled knight was caught beneath him and rightfully dead. He watched it look about only a moment before it looked up at him. His knees wobbled and fell out from under him. He turned his head and keeled to the ground. The sword clattered against the tile and sizzled out. 

Letting an unsettling silence finish Splinter stood, pushing his heavy robes aside from his feet. He retreived the crown from the arm of the throne, and looked down at his sons. The three youngest had finished their battles before some time had past. They stood about gazing down at the fallen body. A few weapons twirled. 

Leonardo grunted as he rose to his feet. His brother came to help him, but he was already off. Standing at the bottom of the stairs he looked up at Splinter. "Sensei-" Splinter smiled oddly and nodded. He recognized himself as safe. The crown was hung around his arm. Leo turned his head to the side to Lita. Her back was facing him. He turned the rest of the way as she swayed, dropping the the side of her leg. "_Lita!_" The sword dropped beside her. He took off running. If he could someone reach her he just knew he could save her. She eased down onto her side and turned onto her back as he skidded to his knees, taking up the back of her neck in one hand. "Lita," Her labored breath responded and she swallowed. "It'll be alright, I'm taking you home... We're going home." She shook her head, taking quiet blinks. 

"I'm sorry Leo.... not this time...." He felt his hand tighten even though he didn't want to hurt her. He took her other hand in his. 

"Just hold on-" Her hand moved up to his beak and silenced him. 

"Mmmm." She stroked it tenderly. He felt like he might burst right there. Her eyes were getting cloudy. She began moving her hand toward her face, and he came with it. Her fingers were getting cold on his cheek, and were struggling to continue to hold on. She pulled him down to her and tilted her chin up to reach him. He felt her warm lips press against his, soft. Bringing their locked hands up to her chest he pressed back lightly, closing his eyes. 

Bright lights streamed inside of him and warmed his core. He felt himself being lifted. Feathers fluttered around him and soothed his senses. A great white like grew and enveloped him completely, taking him to a fresh place. Floors and walls seemed to only be drowsy light, and let Leonardo stand upon them as he wished. Before him Lita stood, long hair drifting about her hips. 

She smiled. He reached out to grab her and she quickly stepped forward before he fell. He just wanted to pick her up and take her back. Just to take her home. Away. She seemed to sense this and caressed the backs of his hands. 

"Leonardo...." His hands closed around hers and held them up. 

"Lita, please, let's leave. Come with me." She smiled and shook her head. 

"I'm sorry I can't do that." His expression easily asked 'why not.' "I can't go back, Leo." 

"....please-" She pressed their hands all together. 

"Shhhhhhh." Her hair trickled over his sides. "I know. I know.... Leonardo.... I want you to remember. I want you to remember when you held me so close you could feel my heart beating, whenever you're alone. 'Cause you know we're family. You're mine. I'm part of yours. Don't forget."..... 

"Lita.... I'm going to see you again." She smiled. "I know it." 

"No. No, this is the end for us. Forever.... So don't you cry on me, because I don't want to leave you and be scared. Leo...." Her finger tips gently brushed his beak. "Don't be sad. Our love will still live on without me. My only love." _Love._ She smiled playfully. "Now you're going to have to tell me to be quiet, because you have to kiss me now, because it's the last time you'll be able to." 

Leonardo felt his hand run through the silky bits of hair, resting on the side of her cheek. He leaned down as she laid her hands on his shoulders, pressing his lips to hers. She kissed back, warm and sweet. They suddenly moved closer, pressing up against each other. His arms enclosed her. The feeling was so strong. _Please don't go now.... let's just stay like this...._

_I'll always be in your arms._ He loosened his hold around her as Lita pulled back. 

"Tee hee!" 

"Woooo Lita!" 

"You silly girl." 

"Way ta go!" Leonardo glanced up to Maddie and Noriko standing back farther in the lights. They giggled and waved. He felt his heart sink. 

"I think you have to go now." He spoke, although it hardly registered in his mind. Lita nodded and took his hands, slipping out of his arms. "I don't think you should." 

"I know. Goodbye Leonardo." She squeezed his hands. 

".....Bye." He didn't let go as she backed away. Soon though he had to, and she drifted off to Maddie and Noriko. They all turned their backs to him. "Bye....." He felt himself shifting again. The lights were growing. He was moving.... like being sucked away. Farther and farther. Away.... 

Leonardo opened his eyes, looking down on a quiet cheek. He gently took his mouth back and laid Litas head down, slipping his hand back. Her skin was unnaturally cool against his. _Lita..... fuck....._

A hand on his shoulder drew him away. His eyes looked sideways at the fur licked claws and his head sunk. He sensed his brothers coming around him and wished evermore for them to leave. A few mutterings passed them. _Just go...._

"Leonardo." Splinter stroked his head slowly, like a poor child. 

"I'm....." 

"Come now.... we are all still in danger." He rocked back onto his feet and walked away. Splinter hand fell back. 

"Yeah.... let's get the fuck outa here." Raphael muttered so he could hear it. "This place eats shit." 

"_Hai._" Splinters coarse bark stopped Leonardo. He stood in place, looking off at the open doors. Soldiers could come in any second. He should close it. "Stand before me, my sons." 

Leonardo came with his brothers. They all knelt before Splinter. His fur was starting to fall out. Never had he looked so old. But that intensity was still in his eyes. Leonardos eyes fell to the long sword his master carried. It was long like Nikiras, but it had his handle. Or at least what he could see from the hand around it. The famiar scratches were all there, and glistened filled with a water that wasn't running off. 

"You have all fought well. You have done a great good here." He raised the blade. "For your noble ventures, I will knight you. For you have made me great with pride." The sword lowered upon each shoulder. With words of a strange language Splinter appeared to have conferred knighthood upon them. It was rare they ever recieved immediate satisfaction of any kind when it came to the sensei. 

Leonardo was the last. He hung his head lower then the others. The blade felt sharp against his skin, and rested for sometime. Lita should have been there as well. 

His worn hilt motioned into his lowered sight, it drew his eyes up. Splinter offered the sword to him, holding it as to it not piercing him as he held it out. There was no expectant look to him, but he took the sword all the same. 

As soon as it was out of his hands Splinter retreived the golden crown from beneath his arm. Leonardo set the sword on the ground with his hand. 

"I am an old man now. You have proven yourself worthy with your own hands. It is time for you to accede." He held the crown out with both hands. Leonardo felt his stomach clench. 

"I... can't." The band was held forward to be laid. He lowered his head for it still. For he could not disobey. 

"You never much believed in the fantastical until you had to live it." Splinter half mused, resting the crown upon his head. It felt heavy. He'd have to get used to that. "....Your Majesty." 

Leonardo touched the side of the crown with his free hand. It was so new, and made him feel powerful. He always wondered what a real crown would feel like. Splinter stepped back as he stood. His brothers stood back as well. He felt so tall. Like he was standing on the top of the world...almost all alone.... 

"_So_.... like, what's your first royal order." Mike quipped quietly. His words echoed in the hall. Leonardo turned and walked away again. The sword was light. He expected it to be heavier for some reason. It moved very freely. The crown was heavier than it though. They were probably different metals... He was king now..... Lita once sent them all to Earth. Even dead spirits. He turned around and returned to his brothers. 

"We're going back to Earth." They all nodded in assent. Splinter didn't say anything. He could even tell Splinter what to do now if he wanted. That really didn't feel right. "We're going back before the summer... Before all this. Let's leave this world as it is now. And go back to when everything was as it was on Earth." 

"Can we do that?" Donatello asked. 

"Hey, he can do whatever he wants." Raphael took out his crystal. Leonardo came into the circle of his brothers. Splinter followed and stood in the center upon his command. 

"But.... how do we... uh..." Mike trailed off, unsurely holding his crystal up like his brothers. Leo's sword began glowing. Their crystals followed suit. 

"Just think happy thoughts." Soldiers began trooping in. Raphael closed his eyes and held his arms out farther. Maybe that would speed things up. 

Lights burst outward and enveloped them. Like hundreds of feathers pushing in around them their eyes rolled back in their heads. They were off, traveling in a heart beat. Leonardo was leading them again, sword in hand. They were finally leaving. And all was well...... 


	26. epilouge

Untitled Document Dumping her books behind the bar Maddie frantically grabbed at bottles, twisting and shaking them into glasses. Brown liquids splashed into the glass tumblers and she set them all onto her tray. School had ended for the term only an hour ago and already she was at work. 

"Hey, Come on!" 

"I'm coming, I'm coming." She muttered. 

"Thanks Mads." Joey added on his way to the back room. Maddie hoisted the tray up on her shoulder and tied her apron on with one hand as she moved out from behind the bar. 

"Yeah, sure." _Christ. When am I going to get out of here. I wish someone would come and just take me away from this crap._

"Honey!" Tiny flames licked up from the corners of her eyes and she fought to keep them down. "Over here!" 

Water trickled beneath the foot bridge listlessly. A silky scarf was caught in the current and drifted along with it. Waving a young branch slowly in the water it was caught up, and lifted out. Noriko raised it up beside her and hooked it off the branch. 

"I've got it." Erika was suddenly beside her and gratefully took back the scarf. 

"Oh thank you. I was afraid it would get away." She smiled as she wrung the water from it. 

"It was my pleasure. You should be more careful about your things." Noriko began backing the other way down the bridge. Her friend trailed after her. 

"Oh, of course. I'll tie it tighter next time. Can I help you with the lily flower bed?" 

"Sure." Erika beamed and hooked her arm through Norikos. "I'd love the company." 

" _Me too!" _

Deep in my soul 

  
Love so strong 

  
It takes control. 

  


Now we both know 

  
The secrets bared 

  
The feelings shown 

  


Lita sunk her head into her hands. _God this is torture. Not only am I stuck here, I can't reach the damn radio to turn this crap off. _

Driven far apart 

  
I'll make a wish 

  
On a shooting star 

  


There will come a day. 

  
Somewhere far away 

  
In your arms I'll stay 

  
My only love. 

  


"Who believes in this stuff." She muttered to herself, rubbing the scars around her wrists. Although she hadn't figured how to do away with the ankle shackles, the wrist braces were removed because the other kids were playing with them. Pulling her knees up against her body, the chains shifted against the sheets. If only her social worker could see her now. He never believed her anyway. What would actually seeing it do. Life sucked. It always sucked. And it would suck forever more. Lita set her chin on her knee and gazed out her window. 

Donatello tenderly poked at his new plant on his way through the lair. He had picked it up at one of the vendors. It was a satisfactory test subject for his next experiment. 

"You guys are neanderthals." He noted as he passed his two brothers, hunched over on the couch. Eyes stuck to the television. Raphael waved him off with a grunt and Mike whined so he wouldn't talk anymore. He sighed and went on to his room. 

Rows of sexy girls jumped and wiggled their asses for the camera, ruffling pom poms at them. There was a kick and all their skirts flew up for a second. Mike sunk down to sit on the floor and leaned forward, resting his chin on the table. 

"I wonder if they ever practice without uniforms." 

"If I was the coach I'd make 'em." Mike smirked. "On trampolines." 

"Yeah. Girls are hot." He pressed his finger against the screen. "I get that one." 

"Fine, get dog face. I want that one over there." 

"She doesn't have a dog face! At least her boobs aren't falling out of her top." Raphael grinned. 

"All the more reason." 

Rummaging to squeeze in through the junk upstairs, Don began searching for his old chemistry ring stands. Without light he had to search with his hands, trying vainly to recall where they had stuck his things when they cleared the lair out last year. It was a pig sty. 

Movement caught the corner of his eye and he turned back to the door, squinting for light. Perched atop a stack of crates one of his brothers sat in silence. It couldn't be Raph or Mike since they had just been seen downstairs oogling football cheerleaders. Leo held his hand out as Peaches leapt up the crates into his lap. 

"_Holy!_" Don jolted backwards at the sudden appearence. Then again, he was probably the one who walked in. Leo was good, but he wasn't that good. "You scared the shit out of me." 

"Sorry." Don held his chest and leaned his hand against a crank. 

"What are you doing up here?" _Had he interuppted something?....?!_

"Nothing. I don't know." He calmed and stood back up again, now discerning his brothers form against the wall. 

"You alright?" 

"........" 

"You wanna... talk about it? Should I get Splinter?" 

"No. I'm alright. I'm good." Dons hand brushed the ring stand sticking out of a box. He closed his hand around it quietly. 

"You... wanna be alone?" 

"If you wouldn't mind." He nodded. 

"Yeah, sure." Stumbling back out of the storage room he raised the iron ring stand up to keep it from knocking things over. "Um, yeah..." Glancing back his Leo as he left he watched his hand graze over his chest plate. He ran his hand over his head slowly before lowering it to stroke Peaches. Don turned and left quietly, climbing back down the ladder into the den alone. 


End file.
